Black Mist
by sussiekitten
Summary: AU, Sequel to Red Haze - M/E Murtagh is struggling with doubt. Did he do the right thing by leaving Eragon behind? A new and seemingly familiar case shakes the team up. Lives are once more at stake in Carvahall. OC Character Death, Blood, Slash
1. Blackened

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel and Ciljan) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Character Death – made up characters as of now. Implied Torture. Gore and Blood – I like my crime scenes messy, my apologies. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello and welcome to _Black Mist_, the sequel of _Red Haze_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics ask you all to please buckle up, keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride, and to please read the very important **Author Note** at the bottom of this chapter. This will clear up any confusion and hopefully make the ride more enjoyable.

But over to more important business. Hehe. I'd like to thank everyone who read, enjoyed, reviewed and/or put _Red Haze_ on their favourite/alert list. You people are the reason this sequel was born. A final and humongous thanks to **dragonrider713** who beta'ed this story and helped me make it better. :D PS, I have changed the way I write time. It is now written as AM and PM. I hope this will make things easier.

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part One; Blackened**

_(02.23 PM – Wednesday 3__rd__ of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

It had been nearly two months since their last big case, but the desk was by no means any tidier. It was still filled with papers, files and an odd pen here and there. A jacket hung over the chair and a half-filled cup of coffee that had long since gone cold had been placed over a few stained papers. Everything looked normal.

"Yo, Morann!" A blond male poked his head inside of the open door and let out a small sound of puzzlement when he found the office empty.

"Oy, has anyone seen Morann today?" Aksel shouted over to the break room.

Thorn padded over to the doorway and lifted his eyebrow.

"He's not in his office?"

Aksel shook his head.

"Unless he can disguise himself as a half-dead plant, no." The blond stated.

"I think he's talking to the Captain." Vanir drawled as he walked out of the lab next door. "And you people do realise the whole station can probably hear you?"

Aksel just nodded happily.

"Did it ever occur to you that he might just be hiding from _you_?" Vanir drawled with a small smirk, pointedly looking at the blond.

"Oy, play nice Therr." Aksel said and wagged a finger mock-threateningly. "Or else..."

Vanir just rolled his eyes and brushed past Thorn as he entered the room.

"How do you do that?" Thorn asked amusedly.

"That's for me to know, and you to ponder about."

The red haired man shook his head and walked down towards Aksel.

"Morann will come around." He said as he passed the blond.

Aksel just shrugged and practically skipped to the break room.

A figure came around the corner then. The figure glanced around himself before slipping into the room Aksel had just checked. He closed the door behind him and sighed. Murtagh brushed a hand through his long hair and looked at the mess with a critical eye. He only ended up picking up the half-full cup and emptying the contents into the plant by the door. It really was no wonder it was in a bad shape.

Murtagh walked back over to the desk, slowly starting to tidy up the worst mess. He hadn't done it since he had gotten the office a few years ago, but at that moment he just needed something to do with his hands. He wanted to keep himself busy enough so that his mind wouldn't start to away run from him. And since Ajihad had banned him from using the shooting range more than two times a week, he didn't have anything else to do. He wanted to save his passes until he really needed them.

Murtagh brushed hair out of his eyes and started to put old files in a pile and odd documents in another. He raised an eyebrow when he found a file from almost six months ago. He really did need to organize a bit better. The dark haired brunet reached for another pile of documents and picked it up. In the process his fingers slipped and he felt a sharp edge cut into a finger.

"Fuck!"

The papers fell to the floor and fluttered around him. Murtagh glared down at the cut that was quickly starting to bleed. A small sneer entered his lips as he watched a blood drop fall to the floor, just barely missing a document. He sighed and tugged towards the door. He stalked towards the bathroom, ignoring everyone around him as he did so, and walked inside. He watched in morbid fascination as he tended to the cut, unable to tear his eyes away from the blood. It stung like hell, even worse when he held it under water. The hazel eyed man swore again and dried his finger. Then he wrapped it up in some paper towels before exiting the room.

He tried to push down the thoughts that had started to bubble under the surface. The cut had distracted him from what he had been doing, allowing thoughts he didn't want to almost enter his conscious mind. That was another trick he had taught himself after Galbatorix. He could push down memories until he no longer could access them. That was, until something made him lose concentration. Something very simple could break the barrier completely and send thoughts and memories flying back.

Murtagh stalked into his office and slammed the door shut. He glared down at the mess he had left in his wake. He gathered up the papers messily and wished he could have slammed them down onto the desk.

He clenched his fist when he felt other thoughts start to push on the barrier in his mind. Things he wished could have, could do, things he had denied himself to even think about. Things that started with the letter E.

Murtagh let out a loud and frustrated groan. He slammed down his fist onto the desk and both felt and saw three things happening at once. First he saw the papers on his desk shake and nearly fall to the floor. Then he felt splinters enter his hand as he made a dent in the desk and felt more than he heard himself yell out. And finally he saw Thorn enter the office with a startled look on his face.

"All those times I've called you a masochist was a joke, I hope you realise that." Thorn drawled.

Murtagh snorted. He lowered his eyes to stare down at his messed up hand. Good thing it was his right; he would need the left one later.

"Do you want me to take you down to the coroner to get that patched up?"

To an outsider, Murtagh knew how that sounded. But it was a fact that people from their station got hurt so often that the coroner had started to keep a large and fully stocked first-aid kit in the morgue. The hospital simply got tired of tending to every small injury that their officers came in with, so they had un-subtly suggested that they equip the coroner with a larger and more professional first-aid kit so that they didn't have to run down to the hospital every time someone got into a fight. That last part had been directed at Murtagh, and the hazel eyed man knew it. And he didn't even care.

"Hell no." Murtagh snorted. "I'd rather take care of this myself. I am not going near any dead people."

Thorn rolled his eyes.

"Fine, whatever." The redhead mumbled. "But then you need to take care of it later. The Captain wants us."

Murtagh frowned as he listened to his friend walk away. He glared down at his bleeding hand almost accusingly. He sighed and mentally prepared himself for a new case. He took a quick pit-stop at the toilet to wrap up his knuckles before going into the briefing room.

When he entered the room was in a chaos. Murtagh had a flashback to when it had been in such a state the last time. That had been when Galbatorix had resurfaced, when he had met Er-

Murtagh killed that train of thought. He scowled before stepping into the room, closing the door behind him. Nasuada was talking to someone over the phone, looking a little frantic as she twined a piece of her hair. Murtagh was surprised to see it out of the usual ponytail she kept it in. Thorn was studying a map that had been put up on a bulletin board, a smaller one than they usually had. Vanir was glaring down at his notes, muttering things to himself as he read on. Aksel, who by now had become a permanent member of the team, was balancing a pen on his nose, his eyes closed and he had a small frown on his lips. Captain Ajihad looked up when he arrived and nodded to him. Murtagh returned the gesture.

"Now that we're all here, let's begin." Ajihad said sombrely. "Nasuada, if you could start the briefing."

The black haired woman nodded as she put away her cell phone.

"We've just gotten some rather disturbing news." Nasuada said and picked up a few files and began to pass them around. "Teirm reported in three homicides to us an hour ago after having made the connection. The defence attorney is going to have a field day with this."

Murtagh frowned at her words. When he opened the file, he had to hold down a string of curses. Three over-view photos had been pinned up on the inside of the perm, and they looked too familiar for comfort. The teenagers' guts had been split open and the organs placed in a circle around the body. There were familiar traces of torture visible on the bodies as well. And last, but not least, the heart had been placed right next to the wall and above it was a chilling message written in blood. Murtagh didn't have to look at the close-ups to know what they said.

"What the fuck is this?" Murtagh hissed.

"That would be the bodies of two males and a female, tortured in a way that the defence will not only have a field day with, but eat up whole." Vanir drawled and threw the file onto the table. "This was just what we needed. Galbatorix's trial is in three weeks!"

Murtagh found himself agreeing with Vanir's every word, and strangely enough it didn't bother him. But then again, he was too pissed off to care.

"Morann." Murtagh's head snapped up at Ajihad's voice. "What do you see?"

Murtagh forced down the sneer that he could feel was about to enter his lips.

"Either it's a really good copy-cat, which it clearly is _not_, or we're dealing with someone from _the Forsworn_."

"What?!" Aksel burst out, the pen falling into his lap as he shot up in his seat. "Oh, please be kidding."

"I'm not." Murtagh drawled. "This is too perfect to be a copy-cat. We never released the messages to the media, and we always cleaned the crime scenes before anyone from the outside could see them. Galbatorix's gang is gigantic; there is bound to be someone who knew just how to do this and is doing it to get their boss released."

Ajihad shook his head sadly.

"What are we going to do?" He sighed.

"We need to find whoever is doing this and stop them." Murtagh growled.

"Well genius, any idea how to do just that?" Vanir said with a sneer.

Murtagh smirked before standing up.

"As a matter of fact, I do." He said.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(08.07 PM – Wednesday 3__rd__ of September. In a back alley on the Main Street in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh stuffed his hands into a pair of gloves and walked down the alley as if he belonged there. He had once belonged there, when he had been allowed outside as a young teenager, but it had been years since he had last stepped a foot into the dodgy end of Carvahall. He made sure the jacket was properly zipped up as the road he was walking on got a little wider. Around him he could now see strip joints, shady bars, a well disguised brothel and a few odd shops.

Murtagh made sure to look a little angered but determined as he continued to walk. Many girls and guys were winking at him, beckoning him to come over, but he would do no such thing. He was there for one purpose and one purpose only. The hazel eyed man lowered the brim of his cap to shield his eyes a little more and took a sudden turn to the right. He stepped over a few mumbling and stinking junkies and sighed silently in relief when he found the shop he was looking for. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

It looked like a tattoo parlour, and it was that too, but it wasn't the only thing the house housed. He forced his mind away from what was going on in the basement and started to walk up to the counter. The room smelled of musk and cheap disinfectant. It was humid inside, and the place clearly needed to be cleaned. Murtagh pulled down the zipper on his jacket as he continued to look around the room. The counter had a slight layer of dust on it, and the display cases were smudged with fingerprints and something else that Murtagh didn't want to know what was. Large leaflets filled with tattoo designs hung on the walls, the corner of the papers curling slightly and an odd rift could be seen here and there.

The clerk was a man who looked to be in his late twenties. He had a thin but slightly tall Mohawk on his head that had been coloured dark blue and green. The rest of his head was shaved. He had various odd piercings on his face and the tattoos began on his neck and disappeared under his shirt, only to continue on his arms. The clerk looked up from where he was toying with a very sharp looking dagger when Murtagh came to a stop in front of him. Murtagh made sure to lower his head so that only his nose and mouth could be seen.

"What do you want?" He rasped angrily.

"I'm here to call in a favour..." Murtagh said and allowed a smirk to enter his lips. "Ciljan."

The man in front of him froze and his dark grey eyes widened for a second.

"There's no one here by that name." He snapped. "Get out!"

"I'm truly offended." Murtagh taunted and let his smirk widen. "Don't you remember me, Cil?"

The clerk narrowed his eyes. When Murtagh knew he wasn't about to get thrown out within the next second, he lifted his head and locked eyes with the man in front of him.

"Wha?!" The grey eyed man stumbled back and didn't stop until he met the wall. "Murtagh?"

The dark haired brunet allowed his smirk to widen just another notch. He pulled off the cap, his eyes never leaving the man before him.

"How've you been?"

Ciljan frowned and seemed to finally come to his senses.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Ciljan hissed.

"As I said, I'm calling in a favour." Murtagh drawled. "Don't tell me all the screams have finally rendered you deaf?"

"No way am I repaying you!" Ciljan said and shook his head. "The Man himself is behind bars because of you."

"Yes, and I intend that his stay there becomes permanent." Murtagh said coldly and leaned onto the counter, bringing their faces closer together. "And you're going to help me."

"Sorry, I don't have a death wish." Ciljan drawled and picked up the dagger again, sticking it into a holster around his hips.

The other man didn't have a chance to pull the dagger back out before he had a gun pointed in-between his eyes.

"You will help me, Drale, or I will kill you myself." Murtagh growled. "And believe me, the last man I pointed this gun at, just like this in fact, ended up dead a second later."

Ciljan Drale gulped.

"Fine, fine! What do you want to know?" He asked shakily. "But you know I can't spill something that's too deep into the circle, yeah? I'd be signing my own death warrant."

Murtagh nodded curtly before putting the gun safely into the harness under his arm. It was the only place he could wear it that it couldn't be seen. His jacket was too short to have the harness around his hips.

"What do you want to know?" Ciljan murmured.

"There has been a string of murders in Teirm during the past month, just like the ones The Man himself was responsible for. Do you know anything about that?" Murtagh whispered.

Ciljan looked awkward for a split second before he was once again indifferent.

"Can't say I do." He said and shrugged. "Tough luck, man."

The gun was staring down at him again before he could even finish the last sentence.

"Alright, **alright**!" Ciljan cursed under his breath. "I've heard that rest of the gang have put the ones that performed the original torture on the previous cases. They're the ones that found the victims and took 'em out. They want their boss freed, but I'm sure you already knew that."

Murtagh nodded sharply as he slowly lowered his gun to rest on his thigh.

"Apparently, they're going to confuse the cops so bad they'll have no choice but to release him. But I don't know any names of the targets or who's doing the torture! I swear, man."

Murtagh felt a small hint of satisfaction from seeing the man before him sweat.

"Thanks." Murtagh said, knowing that he wouldn't be getting more out of Ciljan. "It's been a pleasure to see you again."

Ciljan nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shifting between the outer door and the back room.

"This is where we part, old friend. It was nice knowing you." Murtagh said and lifted his gun, pulling back the safety with his thumb as he did so.

The man before him held up his hands and started to shake.

"Aw, come on. Don't be like that! I swear I won't tell anyone you came here, I'll do anything, just please don't kill me!" Ciljan started to sob shakily.

Murtagh sighed tiredly.

"You know what; I'm in a good mood today. I'll let you live on one condition."

Ciljan started to nod his head and mumble how he would do anything.

"If you promise to give me all information that you obtain on this case on a later date, and then I mean abso-fucking-lutely every dab squat of information, I'll let you live." Murtagh said with a sneer. "Will you promise me that?"

"Yes! Anything!! I promise! When I know you'll know!" Ciljan sobbed.

Murtagh let his sneer widen just a notch.

"Good. Now, remember... you owe me. Are we clear?" He asked icily as he pushed the safety back in place on his gun.

Ciljan nodded and continued to mumble how he promised to do anything, that Murtagh's word was law. Murtagh rolled his eyes and put away his gun. He put his cap back on and started to exit the parlour. He threw one last glare at the man behind the counter before exiting. He felt another stab of satisfaction when Ciljan cowered under his glare. Murtagh closed the door with a sound smack.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(08.34 AM – Thursday 4th__ of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh continued to absently chew on a wooden toothpick as he looked at the mess around him. He had given his report the night before after having gotten back from his encounter with Ciljan, but he had wanted to get in bright and early to continue the work. The briefing room looked like a small hurricane had hit it, though Murtagh would admit that his office looked worse. He sighed before getting to work.

A half-hour later the room looked considerably tidier. New information had been pinned to the bulletin board and the blackboard had been cleaned. The table they sat around had been tidied, and each chair had the necessary files and documents in front of them. Murtagh dragged a hand through his hair and nodded in satisfaction.

Murtagh turned around when a whistling Aksel came to a sudden stop in the doorway.

"... I could have sworn this place looked like a mess when we left." The blond murmured. "Alright, who went all Cleaning-Nazi when I wasn't lookin'?!"

Murtagh rolled his eyes and slid into his seat.

"Three guesses who, moron." He drawled and began to look through his file, looking at the photos with critical eyes.

The blond blinked owlishly.

"Dude, you really need a hobby." He murmured, still slightly in shock. "Preferably something that drains your energy. Don't you like, need to sleep?"

"Nope." Murtagh said curtly and began to write down a few notes. "I can sleep when I'm dead."

Aksel began to mutter things under his breath before he slumped down into his own seat, still staring at the man before him.

"If ya don't sleep, that might be a lot sooner than ya think." Aksel said and raised an eyebrow.

"So?" Murtagh said, still not looking up.

He didn't need to be looking up to know what Aksel was doing.

"Oy, when did you decide to go all suicidal on us?!"

The hazel eyed man flipped a page, but didn't answer. He skimmed over the autopsy report until he found what he was looking for. He frowned.

"Object rape?" He murmured to himself.

"Yo, are you listening to me?" Aksel huffed.

Murtagh rolled his eyes and looked up. He crocked an eyebrow in disinterest.

"No."

Aksel sent him a glare before starting to mutter curses under his breath. Murtagh had to give it to him though; he hadn't heard half of them before and that was saying something. Murtagh was quite familiar with curse words and had a nice vocabulary of them at his disposal.

"Thorn!" Aksel whined. "Your best friend is displaying suicidal tendencies _again_."

The hazel eyed man snorted and went back to the file. He didn't need to hear this.

"Really? Well, he should know better than that. If he ever tried to kill himself, I'd be there to not only stop him, but kill him myself." Thorn's deep voice echoed briefly in the room.

Murtagh just clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Good morning everyone!"

The three males turned to stare at the grinning female in the doorway.

"Arya, aren't you supposed to be on the streets?" Thorn asked.

"Oh, I still am." She said and winked. "But a little bird whispered in my ear, and I just had to come and see if the rumours were true."

"Yes, we are dealing with a case that could harm the case against Galbatorix." Murtagh said deadpanned and looked back down.

"You always ruin my fun." Arya said with a pout.

"It's what I live for." Murtagh drawled.

"Anyway, so it is true?" Arya said, becoming serious in the blink of an eye.

"I'm afraid so." Thorn said and sighed. "New information suggests that this is something _the Forsworn_ have cooked up to free their boss."

"Damnit." The green eyed female cursed. "Does this mean we need to put surveillance on Eragon again?"

The room froze. Murtagh felt his knuckles turn white as he gripped the pen even tighter. How could he have forgotten that?! The answer was whispered in his mind, but Murtagh pushed it away.

"Brilliant observation, Elve."

Arya jumped slightly and moved to let the three people behind her pass. Ajihad sat down in his usual seat and looked gravely around in the room. Nasuada and Vanir sat down as well, but Thorn and Arya remained standing. Hadn't he been sure his legs would fail him Murtagh would have gotten up too.

"After talking with Detective Black, I've decided to put Detective Elve on Rider." Ajihad said and nodded to Arya. "I've also decided to put M-"

Murtagh sent his boss a sharp look that made him pause. If Ajihad chose him, he would quit on the spot. And he made sure to send that message to the Captain with his eyes.

"- Officer Elve on him." Ajihad finished.

"Really? Woot!" Aksel said and pumped his arm in the air in a victorious move. "But why me, sir?"

"You're more qualified. You also blend in on the street easier." The Captain said, folding his fingers to rest his chin on them.

"Huh." Aksel muttered. "I could have sworn you were gonna say another name, though."

The Captain gave a dismissive wave.

"We need to focus on the case, not what I may or may not have been about to say." He said and shifted his gaze. "From the information Morann gathered yesterday, what can we say about the Unsub?"

"They are a present member of _the Forsworn_ and one of those that managed to get away." Thorn said and finally sat down.

"They have a high position in the gang and were present at the previous murders, as we can see because the torture methods didn't change and the message stayed the same." Murtagh paused.

"They're still loyal to Galbatorix." Vanir drawled.

"Who do you reckon it could be, Morann?" Ajihad asked quietly.

Murtagh shifted in his seat as he turned the question over in his mind. He had gone over and over it during the past few hours, and he was no closer to an answer.

"I don't know, sir. The previous torturers were murdered just before I ran. I don't know who he chose to be his next one or ones." Murtagh said gravely.

"What? There can be more than one?" Vanir asked sharply.

"He always preferred it to be two torturers, actually. So, if something happened to one of them, he would still have a backup." Murtagh replied emotionlessly.

"God, how sick can someone get?" Nasuada murmured quietly.

"Apparently it just got worse." Murtagh drawled. "The new victims, while they were all violated, it was with an object this time. Clearly Galbatorix himself needed to do the actual -"

"That's enough." Ajihad interrupted sternly.

Murtagh lifted his hands in quiet surrender.

"We won't be moving Rider and Miss Drake into a safe-house yet, even if there is a chance the unsubs might be moving towards Carvahall." The older man said with a small sigh.

"We're taking that risk again, sir?" Arya piped up softly.

Ajihad nodded slowly.

"I don't like the thought of not moving them, but we don't have a probable cause yet. Don't look at me like that Morann; you know that I answer to others as much as you do."

Murtagh forced himself not to let out the sneer that was begging to be shown on his lips.

"You two will be protecting them as subtly as you can. I don't want you to blow your cover unless it's absolutely necessary." Ajihad said and stood up. "But don't forget that there are still people who are in danger, and this time the torturers don't care if they're male or female. Keep your eyes open."

Ajihad was the first one to leave. Murtagh watched as the others got to their feet or started to look through their files more thoroughly. He saw Arya and Aksel talk quietly to Nasuada before leaving the room. Vanir started to take notes while he read through the documents before him. Thorn stood as quietly as he had done throughout the whole meeting. Murtagh rose from his seat slowly, putting the file under his arm before he began to leave the room. As he stepped over the threshold he couldn't help but feel like something was going to happen soon, and that it wouldn't be good.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(09.15 AM – Friday 12__th__ of September. Inside Murtagh's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Not a day after their meeting had there been a murder in Carvahall. And despite everything that had happened before, Ajihad had gravely told his team that they wouldn't be moving Eragon and Saphira. Murtagh had nearly slammed his fist through the wall when he had heard this. Hadn't it been for a conveniently placed Thorn beside him, he knew he would have.

Ajihad had later calmly explained that his superiors didn't want it to seem like the new murders and the ones tied to Galbatorix were connected, so they didn't want Galbatorix's old targets moved unless it was absolutely necessary. Ajihad had told them that he didn't support his superiors' views, but that he couldn't go against them in any way. Murtagh had nearly told his boss right there what he felt about the superiors, but a hand over his mouth, courtesy of Thorn, had prevented him from doing so. Now, much later, Murtagh thanked his friend for having done so. He liked his job, after all.

Currently Murtagh was sitting cross legged on the floor, his hands resting on his thighs as he inhaled and exhaled calmly. His eyes were closed and his hair was falling into his face. He had gotten tired of it ten minutes into his meditation, and tied back the longer parts of his hair with a band. There was now a small ponytail in the back of his neck, where parts of the hair had curled to rest on his right shoulder. He had neglected to put on a shirt after his rude awakening. His first priority had been to calm his mind as well as his body.

While he slept his barriers had come crashing down. No man could control his dreams, not even Murtagh. And his dreams had been filled with a younger male, soft brown hair, deep brown eyes and a future that could have been. Midway through the dream had changed. It had morphed into a monstrosity where Murtagh had been forced to watch what was most precious to him being taken away. Murtagh had watched him get raped, beaten, tortured in the most brutal way, and there was nothing he could do to help him. And then, with a bittersweet finality, the brunet had been killed before his eyes. Murtagh had woken up just when the torture was about to begin again, with a freshly revived and still as torn Eragon.

Murtagh forced down a pained groan. He could still feel the bile that he had felt in his throat when he had woken up. The sweat had long since dried, but he could still feel it on his body. As if he didn't already feel dirty enough, he thought bitterly.

Just as his mind was beginning to calm down and his barriers snap back into place, the police radio crackled into life.

"_All available units are requested to leave for Carvahall College ASAP. There has been a confirmed 419 on campus. I repeat; there's a 419 on Carvahall College."_

Murtagh felt his eyes snap up. He swore loudly and sat up in a hurry. He stumbled quickly into a pair of black slacks and shouldered on a white shirt as he walked. He was still buttoning up his shirt as he locked the door. The hazel eyed man barely remembered to check if his gun was in its place around his hips before getting into his car and driving towards the college almost illegally fast.

Murtagh didn't know what, but he felt that there was something seriously wrong this time. It didn't matter that he wasn't on duty before noon, he knew this had something to do with Galbatorix, and **damnit**, he was going to be there!

Twenty minutes later he pulled up at the college. He winced when he thought of the innocent students inside of it, unaware of the dead body literally outside of their door. Murtagh got out of his car and slammed the door shut. He merely threw the tie around his neck, not even bothering to tighten it from when he had loosened it the previous time to take it off. In front of him he could see two officers pulling yellow tape around a more shielded part of the green. There was almost a pocket in the building where there was plenty of room for at least six people. Murtagh had visited the spot a few times during his college days. It was a popular make-out spot. Murtagh shook the memories away from his mind and continued to scan the grounds.

He could see an officer he had exchanged greetings with once or twice talking to a very hysterical young girl. One of her friends was looking just as shaken, but was trying her best to calm the other down. Murtagh nodded to the officer before going under the tape, towards where he could see Thorn, Vanir, Arya and the coroner standing. The coroner lifted the sheet from the body and spoke quietly. He saw Arya crouch down before stumbling back in shock. The hazel eyed man instantly became worried when Nasuada hastily shoved what had been in her hands into a technician's hands and rushing forward to gather Arya in her arms. Arya was sobbing loudly and shaking her head. Murtagh upped his speed. He had reached Thorn, who had walked a few steps back as well, before he was noticed.

"Murtagh, don't -"

"What's going on?" Murtagh interrupted harshly.

Beside him, Arya continued to cry and yell out curse words. Nasuada tried in vain to calm her down. Vanir had crouched down and an uncharacteristic tension could be seen in his shoulders.

"Morann, I suggest you step back." Vanir spoke up emotionlessly. "Wait for the Captain to arrive."

"What the fuck's going on?" Murtagh spat, the worry in him only growing stronger.

He tried to step forward, but Thorn put a firm hand on his shoulder, keeping him back. Vanir stood back up, a distressed look in his normally calm blue eyes. Murtagh couldn't help but notice that he almost looked... sad.

"Morann, I know we don't get along, but please stay back."

Murtagh felt a painful stab of fear enter his heart. He shoved Thorn's hand off his shoulder and shouldered Vanir out of the way. The coroner was speaking to a couple of medics that had just arrived, the gurney they had come with lowered to the ground and ready to be used. Murtagh looked down at the body in shock.

He had seen dead people before, plenty of them in fact. It did come with the job. But somehow this one was different. It was a young and thin male, someone who was not going to become older than twenty. His jeans had been nearly torn to shreds at the legs, but they still seemed to cover him. Dirt was present on his clothes, as well as bruises and cuts from having fought back. His hoodie had just been pushed up and a long cut sliced his abdomen clear open. Murtagh couldn't see the organs anywhere, but dark patches in the grass let him know they had been present and moved away by skilled forensics. But the worst wound was the circular cut on his chest, where his heart had been almost ripped out of his chest. A white linen cloth had been laid gently over his face, which was stained with blood and dirt. Murtagh could see the teen's hair without removing the cloth. Light brown and windblown, it almost didn't look touched. But he could see that the forelock had been smudged with blood as it had stained the cloth straight through.

The hazel eyed man crouched down, pushing away Thorn when he once again came to stop him. Almost in a trance he moved forward and pulled away the cloth. The face looked almost angelic in death, not a single frown marred it from all the torture he must have gone through. His lip was cut, but blood no longer spilled from it. His cheek was also bruised, obviously from being hit. Murtagh felt the linen drop from his hand, but he didn't care. His focus was on the face before him, the too familiar face.

"No." He said firmly. "I'm not seeing this."

But he was. The face before him didn't change no matter how hard he stared at it. From his right he could hear the coroner talk to the medics quietly.

"The deceased has been identified on the scene as Eragon Rider..."

Murtagh shot back as if pushed. But he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight. He had seen that face mere hours ago in his sleep. He would never forget that face.

"That's not him!" Murtagh protested.

Thorn came forward once more, and this time the dark haired brunet didn't stop him.

"Murtagh..." Thorn whispered brokenly.

"NO!" Murtagh screamed. "That's not him! HE'S NOT DEAD!!"

The red haired man held him up as his legs buckled under him. The world was fading away, but Murtagh could tell the difference from waking up and blacking out. This wasn't a dream.

His heart was beginning to beat too fast inside of him. His breaths were coming too quickly. The world was rapidly going black before his eyes.

"He's not dead, _damnit_!" He yelled. "ERAGON IS **NOT** DEAD!"

"MURTAGH!" Thorn shouted in worry.

And Murtagh fell to the ground unconscious, and the last thing he saw was Eragon's dead face staring up at him.

* * *

**A/N** :ducks to avoid the thrown and flying objects: Before everyone starts to tell me how the plan to murder me, asks me why and/or tells me that I'm the devil incarnate, I'll explain this chapter! (I seem to be saying this a lot, don't I? Ehehe.)

First of all, this chapter is not what it seems! I know, how can you interpret "Eragon's dead" in more ways than "Eragon's dead"? Simple; I'm damn sneaky. There's more to the chapter than what is visible to the naked eye. Also, there's a reason why this chapter was written, and you will hopefully understand that a bit in the next chapter. So :bows down before her readers: I beg you to read chapter two! It'll be worth it, I promise! There will be cookies for those that continue to read.

Secondly, I promised you that this story would have more action, right? :lifts eyebrow: Think about that.

Despite everything that :cough: happened, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next chapter will be out when I come home in two weeks, if not before. I will try my best to answer reviews and PMs while I'm away, so don't panic yet. You can still ask me quiestions or for an explanation, and I will try to answer you as soon as possible.

I know you may already know some of the words, but I'm adding them all just in case.

**Police Speak:**

_Coroner_ – the person that does the autopsy (examines the dead people and determines how they died)

_(Gun) Harness_ – the "belt" like thing the cops have around their shoulders and upper back to keep the gun in place under their preferred arm

_Unsub_ – short for Unknown Subject. It refers to the criminal they're trying to find. This term is only used when they don't know the identity of the criminal

_Safe-house_ – what the name implies; a house where people who are suspected to be a target is taken for protection. Very few knows the location of these houses and who's in them

_ASAP_ – short for As Soon As Possible

_419_ – the police code for a Dead Body

_Forensic team_ – they have the same tasks as the team in the TV-show CSI. They gather evidence from a crime scene and analyse them

_Technicians_ – (in my story) they are in the police force. They take pictures at the crime scenes or assist the forensic team when needed


	2. Linger

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel and Ciljan) or story and I will report you. I also own version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Mentions of Suicidal tendencies and actions – I'm mentioning them only! Mentions of Alcohol and Drug abuse – again, I'm only mentioning it. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the second part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and promise that your will to continue reading will be rewarded! Next we ask you all to once again buckle up and keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride. We hope you enjoy the chapter.

And please, beware of sugary moments, also known as **fluff**, in the chapter. No, seriously, _beware_! XD

I'd like to thank everyone who read, enjoyed, reviewed and/or put _Black Mist_ on their favourite/alert list. Thank you so much for not abandoning the story even though it looked dark! And lo and behold people; SK has Internet! This means that I'll be able to reply to your reviews and messages at a normal pace. For news on chapter three, please see the bottom **Author Note**.

A final and huge thanks to **dragonrider713** who once again was willing to be my beta. :)

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Two; Linger**

_(12.28 PM – Friday 12__th__ of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh had woken up on the couch in the break room, and he had almost believed what he had just experienced to have been a dream. Sadly, the broken cries from Arya as Nasuada held her and stroked her hair proved him wrong. As did the hollowness in his heart. He had been unable to feel before, but now he simply felt dead inside.

He saw an awkward Vanir trying to ask Arya something, in which she replied in a broken voice that she didn't know. Vanir bowed his head politely and moved away. Murtagh sat up and looked around himself. Thorn was seated at the table, staring almost accusingly at the phone in his hand.

"Thorn?" Murtagh asked hoarsely.

The redhead was instantly at his feet and walked over to him. Murtagh tried to assure him that he was fine, but knew Thorn didn't buy his lie. On the outside he was fine, sure, but on the inside he was broken beyond repair.

Eragon was dead. And he hadn't been able to prevent it. Because Murtagh had stayed away, he hadn't been able to be there and protect him. And now he was **gone**.

A very sombre Ajihad entered the room then. He closed the door behind himself and urged his team to gather around him. Murtagh noticed that the older man made it so that he didn't have to sit up from the couch to be able to be in the circle.

"I am truly sorry you all had to go through that." Ajihad said sadly. "I know Rider affected all of your lives in one way or another."

A silent tear fell from Nasuada's eye. Murtagh suddenly remembered that she hadn't talked to _him_ a lot after they had arrested Galbatorix. He stole a quick glance at Vanir. 

He looked as unfeeling as always, but there was a clear sadness in his eyes. Vanir hadn't even met _him_ until the case had been solved.

Murtagh looked away from how he couldn't name the brunet in his mind anymore, and focused his attention back on Ajihad.

"We're still waiting for a positive I.D. but it's unlikely we'll need it."

Here Arya released a loud sob.

"I should never have let him go to school alone!" She hiccupped.

"Aksel was supposed to have been with him. It wasn't your fault, and neither was it his." Nasuada murmured softly. "You couldn't have seen this coming."

Arya opened her mouth to blame herself even more, but Nasuada shut her up with a fleeting kiss. The green eyed girl was silent for a second before she continued to silently sob.

"Marron, if you can't do it, let someone else take over for you." The Captain said in a deep and soothing voice.

Suddenly Murtagh understood. Thorn had been asked to call Saphira and tell her the news. No wonder he was a mess.

Murtagh knew that if his heart had still been beating, it would have clenched painfully for his friend. But he couldn't feel it pumping anymore. It was like it had literally stopped beating. And how he wished it had. If _he_ truly was dead, then Murtagh wasn't sure he wanted to stay alive any longer.

His thoughts must have shown on his face, for Thorn gave him a stern look. His golden eyes were misty and had a hint of red in them. Murtagh wondered how he himself looked. Did he look as cold as Vanir or as broken as Arya? But it didn't really matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

Ajihad sighed and signalled for Vanir to come and talk somewhere more private. Nasuada continued to soothe her girlfriend while Thorn went back to stare at his phone. Murtagh lowered his gaze to the floor.

Strangely enough he wished he could feel. He wished he could break down like Arya, or at least shed a few tears like Nasuada was doing. But the only thing he could feel was a sharp pain where his heart had used to be, and the hollowness that was threatening to swallow him whole. It was like the sorrow had been too much for him to handle and his brain had blocked the emotion, replacing it with a cheap imitation of nothingness.

Murtagh lowered his head into his hands, his breaths still coming evenly. Nothing showed how broken he really was. Thorn sat down in front of him and Murtagh allowed himself to look up. For some reason, Murtagh found himself staring deeply into his best friend's golden eyes. He could see himself reflected in his pupils. He was white as a sheet and he looked as dead as he felt. He looked away from the redhead and stared ahead of him, right into one of the two glass walls that separated the break room from the rest of the station. He saw himself much clearer in the glass. Murtagh remembered the last time he had looked that way. It had been the day Tornac had helped him escape. But back then he had at least had a small glimmer of hope in his eyes. Now they were nothing but empty voids. There was no emotion left in them.

Thorn let out a shaky sigh. He dialled a number and put the phone to his ear. Murtagh wished that his friend could walk away from him, so that he didn't have to listen to the conversation. But a part of him wanted Thorn to stay too, and he didn't know why. Nor did he care why. Nothing was of any importance anymore.

"_Yo, Aksel speaking!_"

Murtagh only blinked when he could hear the eccentric blond answer loudly. He had been supposed to be with _him_. It was his fault _he_ was –

"Aksel, I would like to speak with Saphira, please." Thorn said calmly, much more calmly than he looked.

"_Yeah, hold on a -_"

"_Bastard! Give me the phone!!_"

Murtagh froze. That hadn't been Aksel's voice, nor had it been Saphira's. He looked up at Thorn to see him in the same state. His eyes seemed almost impossibly wide as his mouth had opened slightly in surprise.

"... Hello?" Thorn said softly into the phone.

Murtagh couldn't hear the answer, but saw Thorn pale even more.

"Who's this?" Thorn asked almost harshly into the phone.

Murtagh jumped up from his seat and snapped the phone out of Thorn's grasp. It didn't take a lot of force from his side; Thorn's grip was almost loose enough for the phone to fall to the floor. Murtagh was able to put the cell-phone to his ear just in time to hear the other person's answer.

"_- agon Rider. Who's calling?_"

Murtagh stumbled back and felt the edge of the large table in the room dig into his back. He didn't care about the pain however.

"Excuse me, could you repeat that?" Murtagh asked shakily.

"_I said my name is Eragon Rider! What the fuck is this?_" The voice asked suspiciously. "_Hello?!_"

Murtagh felt his hand fall. The phone came to rest against his thigh as he fell even more back against the table.

Eragon's voice. It was Eragon's voice on the other end. Eragon had answered the phone!

Thorn gently took the device away from him and Murtagh let him. He could feel the room spinning. He was able to hear Eragon's confused and slightly angry outbursts over the line before Thorn once again lifted the phone to his ear.

"_If this is some kind of joke, it isn't funny! I've got contacts in the police. I'll have them sent after you before you can even scratch your balls, you asshole!_"

Eragon was alive.

Murtagh choked as he felt his heart suddenly start. He only mutely heard Nasuada and Arya's worried cries as he slipped and fell to the floor. The last thought that was whispered in his mind as the world turned black was: _Eragon's alive._

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(02.31 PM – Friday 12__th__ of September. Inside Murtagh's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

When Murtagh had woken up the second time he knew he had only been out for a few minutes. Arya had stopped crying and was talking loudly and a little harshly to someone over the phone. Nasuada, Vanir and Ajihad had been talking together sombrely, most likely about the fact that they now had a body to I.D. Thorn hadn't been present. It had taken the hazel eyed man a second to analyse the scene before him before getting up and walking quietly out of the room. Not even when he had heard his name being called did he looked back. He had simply gotten into his car and driven home. He needed to be alone.

When he had gotten home, the first thing he had seen was the number of messages left on his answering machine. He had just stared blankly at it before he had started to almost obsessively clean the apartment. While he had cleaned, the phone had rung several times. He had let the machine pick up every time.

Now he was finally finished and let himself fall onto his couch in a boneless heap. Murtagh felt even dirtier than when he had gotten up that morning, but he still didn't care. The cleaning had allowed his mind to stay empty, but now the afternoon was finally catching up with him.

For two painful hours, Eragon had been dead in his world. During those two hours Murtagh knew he had blamed himself, even if he had been unconscious for 80 percent of that time. When he had rescued Eragon, he had promised him it was over. And that morning it had seemed like he had been unable to keep his promise. The dark haired brunet had wished that he had been dead, that he somehow could have switched places with Eragon. And now he didn't know what to feel.

Murtagh threw a shaking arm over his eyes. His entire body was exhausted, and he knew he needed to eat something soon. But it seemed like the logical part of his brain had been disconnected, leaving him with the shattered and slowly repairing remains of the traumatized part of his mind.

When the phone rang again, Murtagh only sighed. When were they going to understand that he wasn't going to pick up? At least no one had come after him yet. Murtagh winced when he heard the machine picking up, listening to his own metallic sounding voice calmly tell the caller that he either wasn't home or was unavailable and asked them to either leave a message or call back later. A beep sounded afterwards, and it almost made Murtagh sigh in relief. But then he heard someone start to talk.

"_Murtagh._"

The man in question snorted. Who else wouldn't leave him alone but Thorn?

"_We understand that you're shaken up, but you have to give us some sort of sign that you're alright._" Thorn sighed. "_Rider and Saphira came just after you left. He asked about you... and I almost gave him your address._"

Murtagh lifted his arm and glared at the machine accusingly. Oh, if Thorn had he was going to skin him alive!

"_I didn't, so you can stop picturing ways to kill me._" Thorn's deep voice told him calmly. "_We're just worried about you. I remember the last time you had a breakdown, and I refuse to come to your apartment and find you like that again._"

The hazel eyed male winced. That had been a mistake he wasn't going to make again.

After Tornac had been killed he had gone through a rather destructive period. He had started to drink very heavily, and had tried to experiment on drugs. Fortunately, he had quit the drugs rather quickly. They only made him more depressed, and Galbatorix had spies out there looking for him. Continuing to buy the substances would only get him caught. But he continued to drink and usually drank until he passed out. But one night he had experimented and mixed a few too many drinks, and had ended up in a far too depressed mood. Murtagh remembered that he had been crying his heart out and had blamed himself over and over for Tornac's death. In that moment he had wished he had been captured and killed instead. So he had come up with the brilliant idea to kill himself. Thorn had broken into his apartment worried sick about him that night. He had found Murtagh on the bathroom floor, his wrists cut almost professionally open. Murtagh knew that if Thorn had come just a minute later or if the ambulance had been delayed, he would have died that night.

He had been put under suicide watch on the hospital and had been forced to live with Thorn for a year. Ajihad had constantly come to check up on him and had forced him to see a psychiatrist. Thanks to Ajihad, Thorn and Nasuada even, he was still alive today. He had barely touched a drink since.

"_I'm coming over in ten minutes._" Thorn's voice shook him out of his memories. "_And mark my words Morzanson, if I find you half-dead on the bathroom floor, I'm going to kill you myself._"

Thorn hung up then. Murtagh chuckled bitterly. The words might have seemed cruel, but he had heard the slight desperation in Thorn's voice. It seemed like he had really worried his friend this time.

Murtagh pushed himself to his feet and looked around in the apartment. He dragged a hand through his shaggy hair and tightened the band he had tied it back with. He was sure the apartment hadn't been this clean since the place had been build, if it wasn't cleaner now than it had been then.

The dark haired man walked quietly into his bedroom and changed his clothes. He only had a few minutes until Thorn arrived. When Thorn said he was going to be there in ten minutes, Murtagh knew he actually meant five. He padded back into the living room and kitchen area and started to make himself some coffee. He forced his mind to stay blank as he started to make something to eat as well. He took out two cups and filled them both before placing them on the coffee table. Next he unlocked the door and sat down with a sandwich in his hands. Thorn stormed into the place not a minute later.

Murtagh nodded to his friend and gestured for him to sit down beside him. Thorn glared at him suspiciously until Murtagh rolled his eyes and rolled up the sleeves of his sweater. He turned them over and lifted an eyebrow before going back to his lunch.

"Go on, then." Murtagh said calmly. "Yell at me."

Thorn let out a loud and tired sigh.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" He asked quietly.

"Nothing." Murtagh replied and took another sip of his coffee. "I thought you were here to yell at me?"

"I can yell at you later." Thorn pointed out. "And you know you have to process what happened today."

Murtagh rolled his eyes.

"I'll do it later."

"_DAMNIT_, MURTAGH!"

Murtagh allowed a small smirk to enter his lips.

"I thought you were going to do that later?" He drawled.

"If you continue to be cocky with me, that'll be the last thing you do." Thorn growled. "You have to take down those goddamn barriers and allow yourself to think!"

"Like I said, I can do it later." The hazel eyed man said and finished his food. "I'm in the middle of something here."

"Fuck, Murtagh." Thorn gritted his teeth. "You know the shrink told you to process new emotions and traumatic experiences as soon as you had them."

Murtagh just snorted.

"Fuck the shrink. What does she know, anyway?" He drawled and rolled his eyes.

Before he quite knew what had happened, Thorn had grabbed a handful of his sweater and had lifted him up. Murtagh wasn't surprised that he could no longer feel the ground beneath his feet. The redhead continued to sneer angrily at him, and this time Murtagh didn't have to look up to meet Thorn's eyes.

"You are the most stubborn and stupid fucker I've ever known." Thorn hissed angrily. "You are going to listen to your shrink, and break the hell down right **NOW**!!"

Murtagh could feel his barriers cracking, but he wasn't allowing himself to break down that easily. He wouldn't have been called a master of disguising emotions if he didn't know how to do it. He could push barriers up or down in the blink of an eye. And right now he didn't fancy having them shattered to pieces for the third time in a day.

"Thorn, I've just had the worst day in nine years and counting. I'd appreciate it if you allowed me to break down tomorrow." He hissed back.

"No." Thorn growled. "You are going to break down at this fucking second."

"Marron." Murtagh growled and made sure the sneer was firmly in place as he spoke. "I spent a night dreaming about Rider being killed before my eyes and I spent a morning thinking he had actually died. Excuse me if I don't want to break down for the third fucking time today."

The hard look in Thorn's eyes softened slightly. He lowered Murtagh down to the floor again. Murtagh straightened out his sweater before sitting back down.

"You're still doing it." Thorn said stubbornly.

Murtagh couldn't keep the snarl from escaping him.

"You're not my mother! I can handle this whenever the fuck I want!" He yelled.

"If you could choose, you wouldn't deal with it ever." The redhead told him bluntly. "It's best if you just get this day over and done with, and leave the happenings and emotions behind with it. Would you really want to go to sleep without having thought this through?"

Murtagh looked away. He could feel his will cracking. He stubbornly tried to hold onto it, but he could feel it slipping out of his hands.

Thorn sat down slowly, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Talk to me." He whispered.

Murtagh clenched his eyes shut. His hands had balled themselves into fists and his nails started to dig painfully into his palms.

"What did you feel? When you thought Eragon was dead, what did you feel?" Thorn asked him softly.

Murtagh felt what was left of his barrier shatter painfully. Tears began to rise in his eyes and eventually started to slide down his cheeks. His shoulders tensed and his head fell forward. He didn't have to look in a mirror to know his mouth was stretched into a thin line.

Thorn's grip on his shoulder tightened once in a comforting squeeze before going back to holding it again.

"Murtagh?"

"... I felt like I had died too." Murtagh answered and didn't care when he heard his voice crack.

For the first time since he was sixteen, he allowed himself to break down and cry.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(10.34 AM – Saturday 13t__h__ of September. Inside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

"Okay, so you're still with him?"

Saphira had been on the phone with her boyfriend for the past ten minutes. She twined her hair during certain parts of the conversation and bit her lip in others. Eragon couldn't be sure what each reaction meant.

Yesterday had been a quite eventful day. Eragon's classes had been cancelled and he hadn't remembered that until he had run out of the door, already thinking he was late. The brunet had proceeded to walk back inside and bury himself under his covers, much to Aksel and Saphira's amusement. That had been Eragon's only class that day, and he had got up for nothing. He had still been asleep when Saphira had come home around noon.

He had been shocked when the blonde had told him that there had been a murder on campus. Eragon had shuddered and found himself sighing in relief that he hadn't had 

classes that day. But the biggest shock of the day had been when Thorn had called. The redhead had obviously not been totally convinced it was him that had answered, as he had proceeded after a small delay to tell him that they believed that they had found Eragon's corpse on campus. Eragon, Saphira and Aksel had hurried over to the station and had shocked the daylights out of the entire station.

Eragon had to give it to them, though. He had argued his way into the morgue to see the body. Whoever he was, it looked frighteningly like Eragon. He had been even more scared when had heard that Murtagh had stormed out of the station minutes after finding out he hadn't been dead after all. The brunet could still remember Thorn's worried look when he had just pushed him out of the door, demanding that he'd go to Murtagh. Thorn had looked like he wanted to ask him if he wanted to tag along, but Eragon had just mutely shaken his head and stayed behind.

He had had a day to process the previous day's events, and they still left him feeling a bit disoriented. They had actually believed he had been dead. He couldn't imagine how that must have been for them, for Arya, Nasuada and Thorn. And, if he allowed himself to think about him, how it must have been for Murtagh.

Eragon shook himself from his thoughts and looked back at his friend. Saphira had grown her hair longer during the last couple of months. She continued to colour the longer parts of her hair a dark blue, which now reached her shoulder blades.

"How is he doing?" Saphira asked quietly.

She smiled sadly in answer to something Eragon couldn't hear.

"Do you want me to -?"

Eragon frowned when Saphira seemed to have been cut off. She nodded and made a small sound that suggested she understood.

"Okay. Good luck. Take care of him."

Eragon looked away when Saphira exchanged goodbyes with Thorn and started to try to look busy with a book he was supposed to read for class.

Saphira sighed as she began to move over to where Eragon was sitting. The brunet continued to pretend to be absorbed in the book he held in his hands, though he had no idea what it was about. In fact, what language was he reading? It looked like no other he had seen before.

"You're reading the book upside down, Eragon." Saphira said and let out a soft giggle.

Eragon blushed and quickly turned it around.

"I knew that." He protested meekly.

The blonde sat down and pushed her forelock out of her eyes with both hands.

"Since you aren't going to ask, I'll let you know that he's fine." She said kindly. "Yesterday was just very trying for him."

"Who?" Eragon said and tried to look like he wasn't interested in what she was saying.

"You know very well who." Saphira said and tsk'ed softly. "Thorn's with him right now and said he might stop by later."

The brunet just continued to look mildly confused. Saphira rolled her eyes and fixed her eyes on the book.

"And, Eragon, the next time you want to look like you aren't listening in, maybe you should grab one of your own books?" The blonde laughed. "That one you're holding is mine."

Eragon sighed and closed said book. He gave it over to his friend and gave her a small sheepish smile.

"I don't blame you for wanting to know how he is."

"I just feel like it isn't any of my business anymore." Eragon mumbled softly.

"Bullshit." The female beside him snorted. "If Murtagh can faint, twice mind you, from all the shebang with you being dead yesterday, then you can worry about him."

Eragon frowned. He turned to look more properly into his friend's eyes. Her blue eyes shone with their usual kindness and sincerity.

"He -?"

"Fainted?" Saphira gave a small and sad smile. "Like I said; twice. Once because he thought you were dead and again when he found out that you weren't."

The brown eyed male looked away. A half-smile entered his face, but Eragon knew it was a sad one.

"I already know he cares about me, Saph. He told me so himself. But he also told me that he couldn't love." He muttered softly.

Saphira snorted disbelievingly.

"What man can't love?"

"One that has never been shown it." Eragon replied sadly.

Saphira's face softened. She let out a quiet sigh and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Then he just needs to be shown it." She told him with an encouraging smile.

"And where were you two months ago?" Eragon said and tried to sound like he was joking.

He wasn't succeeding.

"Two months ago you wouldn't have listened." Saphira said simply. "And neither would he."

Eragon stood up and walked over to the window, staring out at the soft autumn day.

"You know as much as I do that he needs to vanquish his demons on his own. Only he can fight that battle and win. But for that to happen he needs to want to win." Eragon paused and bit his lip. "As I told Arya, I can't wait forever."

"Somehow, something tells me that you won't have to." Saphira said mystically.

Eragon snorted softly.

"He told me himself not to wait for him." He pointed out and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, in my opinion there is no bigger fool on the Earth than men." The blonde said. "And fools are not meant to be listened to."

"I'm a guy too, you know." Eragon drawled and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Yeah, and therefore by default a fool." She said and winked. "But he's a bigger fool than you could ever be, even if you tried. But even a fool can turn into a genius one day."

"So you're telling me to wait." The brunet stated.

Saphira sat up and walked over to stand beside him. She turned to face him and sent him a small wink.

"Exactly."

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(11.18 PM – Saturday 13t__h__ of September. Inside the local park in Eragon and Saphira's neighbourhood in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

If there was one thing Eragon truly loved to do, then it was to take a walk on a cool autumn night. The air smelled fresh and the soft wind cooled him off as he walked.

He had snuck out a half hour before. He knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but for once he wanted privacy. If he wasn't with Saphira, then either Arya or Aksel was hanging over his shoulder. It was irritating beyond words. And he needed to be alone to think. The previous day had given him plenty of reasons to think.

He came to a stop by a bench in front of the playground. The two swings creaked softly as the wind moved them ever so softly. If Eragon didn't know better, he would have said that ghost children were playing with them. Eragon sat down and continued to look at the playground, his hands stuffed into his pockets for warmth. He closed his eyes and allowed the conversation from earlier that day to run through his mind.

* * *

_**(07.26 PM – Saturday 13**__**th**__** of September. Start Flashback)**_

"Did he talk at all?"

Eragon couldn't help but to think of the irony of the situation. Here he was; sitting outside of Saphira's bedroom and eavesdropping. Just three months before it had been Murtagh who had been eavesdropping and he who had discovered him. However, Eragon doubted that someone would discover him, and if someone did, he knew it wouldn't be Murtagh.

"Not really." Thorn replied and sighed. "He only broke down. Thankfully."

"Oh?" Saphira muttered confusedly.

"I'm thankful that he got it through his thick skull that he needed to process what had happened and broke down. While it was not a pretty sight, it was good for him."

"I see." Saphira breathed.

"Murtagh has the bad habit of not letting himself process things or happenings until the pressure becomes too great. And then he just breaks down, usually when he's alone, and absolutely everything comes crashing down. It happened once, I won't go into detail about it, but I think he learned his lesson." Thorn said gravely.

On the other side of the door, Eragon frowned.

"That bad, huh?" The blonde commented sadly.

"Worse." Thorn replies simply.

Eragon winced. He had a feeling he knew what Thorn was talking about, Murtagh had told him something once. Even then he had had the feeling Murtagh hadn't been telling him everything, but now Eragon knew he hadn't been.

_**(End Flashback)**_

* * *

Eragon took a deep breath and watched the thin cloud rise up to the sky and disappear. It was true that during the time he had been in the safe-house, Murtagh had opened up to him, and he in turn had opened up to Murtagh. That had been the foundation of their friendship; mutual understanding of past horrors.

Slowly they had begun to seek each other out and spend more time together. Saphira hadn't minded; she had only given him a knowing look whenever they walked past each other. Aksel though, would have a field day whenever Eragon would walk out of Murtagh's room. Eragon had had to shut him up more than once, and the thing he most commonly used was his fist. Arya had just opted to grin wickedly at Murtagh whenever she had the chance. Eragon hadn't dared to ask why back then, but he had a feeling he now knew the answer.

The brunet allowed himself to think back to one conversation in particular, the one he had believed contained the incident Thorn had talked about earlier that day.

* * *

_**(04.38 PM – Wednesday 11**__**th**__** of June. Start Flashback)**_

"Does anyone know about your past with _the Forsworn_?"

They were sitting inside Murtagh's room talking. Since their first conversation, they had continued to sit on the same bed while they talked. They could talk about everything and nothing, something Eragon really liked about their friendship. They never ran out of things to speak about.

That day however had been slightly different. He wasn't sure how they had ended up on that subject, or even what had possessed him to ask that question, but Eragon found himself asking it before he could stop himself.

Eragon must have looked rather abashed, for not a second later was Murtagh chuckling heartily.

"Nah, it's alright kid. Don't start beating yourself up, okay?" Murtagh said with a small wink.

Eragon settled for nodding softly.

"Well, to answer your question, yes. The Captain knows, obviously, as well as Thorn. Thorn has been my friend since high school. When I applied to be transferred to Carvahall, he applied for the same. In a way, it seems like he's always been there for me, even though I know he hasn't." The hazel eyed man finished in a quiet voice.

"... Are you alright?" Eragon asked softly.

"Ah, yeah." Murtagh said and tried to smirk confidently. "I just caught up in some old memories."

The brown eyed teen noticed that he didn't quite manage to pull it off. Eragon liked to believe that to others, the smirk would look genuine, but to people like him, to those who really knew Murtagh, they could see how forced it was.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked and bit his lip.

A flash of awkwardness and pain flashed in Murtagh's eyes. Eragon knew the answer even before he got it.

"Nah, that's okay." Murtagh smirked again. "It's no big deal."

Eragon forced himself not to let the hurt show. They had been staying at the house for a month, if not longer, and Murtagh hadn't lied to him until that very moment.

"Rider."

Eragon looked up and was startled when he noticed how the distance between them had shrunk noticeably.

"I'm sorry." Murtagh murmured. "I just don't want you to worry about little old me."

"I worry more when you don't want to talk." Eragon muttered quietly.

"Heh." The older male breathed. "You've got a point there. When did you get so smart, eh?"

Eragon just rolled his eyes.

"Alright, I'll tell you." The hazel eyed man said and leaned back onto his hands. "You remember Tornac, right? Well, one day about a year after his murder, I had an... episode."

Eragon pulled his knees more tightly against himself, folded his arms on top of them and rested his chin on his arms. Then he proceeded to listen.

"I became very depressed after he was killed, and I often ended up blaming myself for it. I know, I was young and stupid, and I did a lot of stupid things. One day I simply became so depressed that I'm not sure what would have happened if Thorn hadn't stopped me."

Eragon frowned sadly.

"But he did stop me, just in time too. The following year was a blast, I tell you." Murtagh let a half-smirk enter his lips. "My shrink practically locked me up inside Thorn's home 

and made me stay there for a year. I didn't hate it, don't get me wrong, but let's just say I learned a lot about my best friend that I know I would have survived not knowing."

Murtagh let out a laugh, but Eragon could tell that too was forced. The brunet bit his lip before finding the courage to do what he knew he needed to.

Murtagh only lifted an eyebrow in confusion as Eragon uncoiled himself and sat up. He crawled over slowly, to make sure Murtagh wasn't about to flee when he came too close. He came to a stop before the other man. The brunet now sat on his knees right next to Murtagh's stretched out legs as they faced each other. Eragon held his breath as he laid his right arm around Murtagh's neck and buried his head under Murtagh's chin in a small, one-armed hug.

As Eragon suspected, Murtagh's stiffened under his touch. He could almost feel Murtagh's heartbeat quicken, but knew it could also be his own. Eragon stayed there for a few more seconds before figuring it was time he retreated. He started to loosen his grip when he felt an arm slowly encircle his waist and pull him closer. Eragon smiled into Murtagh's neck and allowed himself to be pulled closer.

In a matter of seconds, Eragon found himself sitting comfortably in Murtagh's lap with his arms around Murtagh's neck and his legs on either side of his thighs. Murtagh's arms were around his waist, keeping him securely in Murtagh's hold. Eragon's chin now rested atop of Murtagh's broad shoulder. The other had rested his forehead against Eragon's shoulder, his face completely hidden in Eragon's large hoodie.

For a few minutes they just sat there in silence. Eragon allowed himself to savour the feeling of having Murtagh so close. He knew there would be few times the other would allow him to get this close. The brunet began to silently panic when Murtagh let out a loud sigh.

"Thank you." Murtagh muttered and began to pull back.

Eragon didn't want to let go, he really didn't, but he didn't want to scare Murtagh either. He let go of Murtagh's neck and was prepared for the other to do the same with his waist. He was more than surprised when Murtagh continued to hold him close, even though they were now looking into each other's eyes. Eragon felt his brown eyes widen almost comically when Murtagh leaned down. The brunet felt himself blush horribly red when Murtagh pressed a soft and fleeting kiss on his forehead. The hazel eyed man pulled back and presented Eragon with a small, genuine smile.

"How did you know that was what I needed?" Murtagh asked.

"I dunno." Eragon replied softly. "Maybe because I've been there myself, and I remember what I needed back then?"

Murtagh smirked softly as he removed his arms. One hand came up and lightly poked Eragon's forehead.

"Or maybe you're just psychic." Murtagh teased.

Eragon rolled his eyes and scooted backwards a bit. Murtagh tipped his head slightly to one side and leaned back onto his arms again. Eragon allowed his own arms to half-circle his lower abdomen. Murtagh had yet to indicate that he wanted Eragon to move, and he planned to exploit that for as long as he could. He quite liked sitting in the older male's lap.

"Maybe that's why I keep seeing the lottery numbers in my sleep before every lottery day? I'm psychic!" Eragon exclaimed sarcastically. "No wonder I've been able to read people's minds."

"Yeah? Tell me what I'm thinking about right now, then." The dark haired man asked with a small leer.

"Oh, that's far too dirty for me to repeat." Eragon said deadpanned.

Murtagh narrowed his eyes in mock-insult and suddenly started to tickle Eragon mercilessly. Eragon couldn't hold in the laughter, and neither could he make Murtagh stop. He was kind enough to stop before Eragon fell off the bed, however. Murtagh removed his hands, but not before pulling the younger brunet back into his previous position in his lap.

"All teasing aside... thank you. It helped."

Eragon grinned softly at the words.

They continued to talk about an entirely different matter, but even as they did so, Eragon couldn't help but to think that he had gotten the edited version from Murtagh. Somehow, he just knew there was something Murtagh wasn't telling him. But it didn't matter. He was far too comfortable to think about that at that moment.

_**(End Flashback)**_

* * *

The brunet smiled when he relived that memory. If he concentrated hard enough, he could almost feel those arms around him.

Eragon shook himself out of his thoughts harshly. It was no use to remember something that would never happen again.

"Oy, there you are!!"

Eragon held in a groan at the familiar voice. He continued to stare out in front of himself as he heard someone sit down heavily beside him.

"Sneaking out like that, at a time like this... are you consciously trying to give us all heart-attacks?!"

The brunet sighed softly. He turned around to face someone he had started to think of as one of his closest friends.

"Sorry, Aksel." Eragon said softly. "I just needed to be alone with my thoughts. You know, **alone**."

Aksel ran a hand through his hair, making his Mohawk look even more dishevelled than usual.

"I hear ya, mate, but Arya's gonna kill you when we get back. If not worse, _castrate_ you." He said and winced.

Eragon let out a soft laugh. He doubted Arya would do just that, but he winced in his at the thought of the upcoming headache he would get from being hit by said black haired female.

"So, what rattled you up so bad you had to go outside to think?" Aksel asked with a small frown.

Eragon sent the blond a blank look.

"I mean besides that!"

"Besides almost being declared dead to the world, what do you think is bugging me?" The brunet said dryly and got up.

"Wouldn't be asking if I knew." Aksel said and jumped up to follow Eragon.

Eragon sighed loudly and for a minute, he did nothing but to listen to his own footfalls echo in his ears.

"Did you seen him after it happened?" He asked quietly.

"Who, Tag? Uh, sure... for like, a second." Aksel said and shrugged. "And, if you're asking how he looked, I'd describe it as, pardon the pun, dead."

Eragon winced.

"Or maybe _human_ is more the right word? I mean, you've seen him right? With his mask in place and smirking at the world?" Aksel paused and looked up at the clear night sky. "For just a fleeting moment, all his barriers were down and I could finally see the scared child within him."

Eragon felt himself tear up slightly. Not because he was going to cry, but because the words hit him with such a force that he had to react somehow. His heart gave a small clench as he kicked a small pebble down the path before him.

"I hate to say it, but... you kid, you manage to bring out the worst and the best in him." The blond said and came to a stop.

The brunet turned around with a small furrow in his brow. Aksel crossed his arms over his chest and finally lowered his eyes from the skies.

"It was refreshing to see him when he was under house-arrest. He seemed like a totally new person! A new Murtagh and a better one at that." Aksel said with a half smile. "But you should have seen him afterwards. Before he met you, sure, he was scary and cold and all that jazz. But now... aw man, he's goddamn terrifying! And I'm talking psycho-killer-in-a-horror-flick terrifying."

The green eyed man shuddered slightly from something Eragon knew wasn't the cold. And all Eragon could do was widen his eyes in shock.

"I don't mean to scare you and shit, but let me give you an example." Aksel wrapped an arm around Eragon's shoulders and began to lead him down the path again. "You remember Vanir, don't you? Everyone remembers his stuck-up arse."

Eragon nodded mutely.

"Before you, he'd snap and talk back at Murtagh like you wouldn't believe! But after you made him tell the crew his secret, cos I know it was you buddy, he started to treat Tag with respect. More respect anyway. Respect he should have had from the start!" Aksel paused to laugh. "Tag's his superior, for Christ sake."

"What?!"

Aksel laughed heartily.

"What, you didn't know? The dude has his own office; that should tell ya something. He's, well I don't remember his official title since no one ever calls him that, but he's the Captain's second in command."

Eragon blinked. Of all things that Murtagh hadn't told him...

"For real?" Eragon asked.

Aksel nodded enthusiastically.

"I know; I totally expected it to be Nasuada too. But Murtagh's older than her for one, and he's damn good at what he does!" The blond said and waggled his eyebrows with, surprisingly, a serious look in his eyes. "Never piss that guy off, he will stuff a gun in-between your eyes and tell you that you owe him one when he doesn't pull the trigger, even if he owed you in the first place."

Eragon frowned as they finally stepped out of the park and started to cross the empty street.

"Anyway, Vanir's actually treading lightly around him now. Fuck, I don't have to tell him off for him to treat Murtagh fairly anymore!" Aksel said amusedly.

"Huh?" Eragon said confusedly.

"Nah, don't worry about it." The green eyed male said and waved his hand dismissively.

Eragon just looked at his friend oddly as Aksel lead him up the stairs and held open the door for him to enter. He had a feeling that he had gotten more questions out of the walk than answers. When he glanced over at Aksel, who was trying to find the right key to fit into the apartment door, he knew he definitely was more confused now than he when he had gone out.

* * *

**A/N **See? I told you guys the chapter would be worth reading! :ducks away from still flying and lethal objects: I am truly sorry for putting you though that, believing Eragon was dead and all, but it was vital to the story! Why? :smirks: Let me tell you why; Murtagh.

Now, who here doesn't agree that I have put Murtagh through a lot in this chapter? More than all of _Red Haze_'s chapters combined! And how come I did this? Cos Murtagh needed a reality check. And what could have been better than to make him think that he had lost Eragon forever? I'm not saying that there'll be any immediate and noticeable changes in Murtagh's behaviour, but they'll come. In fact, don't curse at me if he still seems like the same ol' bastard. All in due time, my dears.

But over to other things. I honestly don't know when I'll be able to post chapter three, but know that I'm working to get the sequel out and finished as soon as possible. I have this last week and the next in the scotching south to work on my fics. And by fics I mean **all** of them! :sweatdrop: I will try my best to have chapter three out ASAP, but I can't tell you when as of yet. I'm sorry.

To those who are perhaps curious about Eragon's indifferent behaviour; he's a master of keeping things bottled up. I might write a scene where you'll see his true colours shining through, but I need to see if I can fit it in somewhere before I can promise you anything. Also, I never said that Eragon will take Saphira's advice, so please don't hound me on it! And neither did I say he won't take it. Eragon will be in a bit of an emotional turmoil most of the time and it's all thanks to dear Murtagh. So if he seems cold and indifferent, I hope you now understand why.

And this was the chapter I referred to in _Red Haze_. The word Aksel can't remember is "Sergeant", and Sergeant is a higher rank than Detective. But since I've cut out the "Lieutenant" rank, Sergeant is the Captain's second in command. This means that, as Aksel said, Murtagh is ranked over Thorn, Arya, Nasuada, Vanir and Aksel. If Ajihad isn't present, then Murtagh's the boss, to put it simply. I hope this cleared up any confusion. If someone is still confused, let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

And that's it really. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!

I know you may already know some of the words, but I'm adding them all just in case.

**Police Speak:**

_I.D._ – short for Identify

_PD_ – short for Police Department


	3. Asphyxia

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle. I don't own the song that I refer to in the chapter either. It's called _If I Were (Gay)_ and is by Stephen Lynch. Once again, I apologise for mentioning him, but you can easily overlook it and it's not important in the chapter.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel and Ciljan) or story and I will report you. I also own version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the third part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and ask you all to once again buckle up, and keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride. We hope you all enjoy the chapter.

Another thanks to everyone who reviewed. You people really do keep me going. This chapter was posted ahead of time thanks to a friend of mine ;) A final and huge thanks to **dragonrider713** who once again was willing to put up with me. Hehe.

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Three; Asphyxia**

_(11.35 AM – Monday 15__th__ of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh sat in his office, frowning down at the file in his hands. He had removed the picture inside of it, unwilling to look at the face, before starting to read. He had already read over and practically memorized the personal information; all he now had to read was the witness statement. There was something in Eragon's file he knew could help them catch the psycho or psychos that were running around.

He had forgone his work slacks that day and was dressed in a pair of jet black jeans. His shirt had been left unbuttoned and was rolled up at the sleeves. Underneath he wore a black tee. The blood red tie lay in a heap on his desk. His right hand, now fully healed, was tapping a pen on the desk's surface as his left flicked through the file's contents.

"Knock, knock."

Murtagh rolled his eyes and looked up.

"Yeah?"

From the doorway, Arya smiled prettily.

"Just checking in to see how the case is going." She said and stepped into the office.

"It isn't going." Murtagh replied emotionlessly. "And aren't you supposed to be somewhere?"

Arya rolled her eyes. She came to a stop before him and sat down in the chair that always stood against the wall next to Murtagh's bookcase, barely visible if you didn't know where to look.

"Aksel is looking after them both. They just got back from their morning and only classes of the day." She said and crossed one leg over the other. "I'm here on another matter."

Murtagh frowned. He nodded for her to continue.

"Something you said had me thinking." Arya said. "You remember how, when there are two killers working together, there's always a submissive and a dominant? Well, in this case we already have the dominant, Gabaltorix, in custody. So technically, there should only be one person out there doing the killings, since the pattern hasn't changed. This also means that the submissive hasn't found himself another dominant."

Murtagh crossed his arms over his chest. He nodded again, more slowly this time.

"Well, I just finished talking to Nasuada, who has studied the coroner's report. She told me she studied the previous reports as well after reading it. The patterns are identical, but it's more than that... there were at least two different weapons used, and according to the coroner they were used at the same time." Arya paused, her lips stretched into a thin line. "She said we might be dealing with two killers now as well."

"That's impossible." Murtagh said gruffly. "I can't be, unless -"

"Unless Galbatorix had two torturers which both acted submissively to him." The black haired woman finished. "This would mean that they both were present at all of the previous killings and partook in them."

Murtagh ran a hand through his hair, not at all pleased with what he was hearing.

"You do realise what this means? If the two torturers are out there, killing together, then one of them should have naturally stepped up to be the dominant role. One is always more dominant than the other, even if they are both submissive."

Murtagh had to give her credit. If Arya hadn't graduated from the Academy a year before him, he doubted he would have been at the top of his class. She was a wicked analyser, which was why she was perfect on the streets. She knew how to act around different people, who to trust and who to suspect.

"That is what puzzled me!" The green eyed female exclaimed in answer. "Then I thought, what if there was a relationship between the killers that made them both equal?"

The hazel eyed man froze. His eyes met Arya's.

"Relationship? Well, if it was sexual then one would already be dominant. Even in a relationship where they switch roles, one will always be more dominant." Murtagh murmured. "The same with family relations... unless..."

Arya titled her head softly to one side.

"_Twins_." Murtagh spat the word out like it was a curse. "I know who the killers are."

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(12.02 PM – Monday 15__th__ of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

"Who are they?"

The team had been quickly gathered together to hear the newest discovery. Thankfully they had all been in the station. When Murtagh had figured out who the killers were, he had sent Arya to Eragon and Saphira's with the message to never let them the hell out of her sight, not even to go to the bathroom!

Now he was standing before the rest of the crew, a grave look on his face and a slight sneer on his lips. Beside him stood the bulletin board and on it he had hung up two pictures which seemed to be of one person, but if one looked closer you could see it was in fact two. Ajihad had turned in his seat, giving Murtagh his full attention. Thorn sat with his elbows on the table, the frown on his lips hidden behind his folded hands. Nasuada was writing something at a rapid speed, but she still managed to pay attention. Vanir sat leaned back into his seat, his arms crossed over his chest with a blank, almost border lining to worried look on his face.

"No one knows their real names." Murtagh answered. "All I do know is that they were going to be placed in separate foster homes after having brutally murdered their previous foster family. Somehow they never turned up at their respective families and have never been heard from since. At least, the police haven't."

Murtagh pointed to the pictures before he continued.

"No one even knows their real age, though I'd estimate them to be in their late thirties. I've had the pleasure of meeting them once, and once was one time too many." He forced down the wince that was threatening to show on his face. "They specialised in mental torture, but by the looks of it Galbatorix made sure they knew every torture method ever invented when he was done with them. They're, obviously, twins and I've heard they've never been seen apart. They're equal in every aspect of the word, which makes it all the more difficult for us. We don't know who to profile to find their location."

"Then what can we do?" Ajihad asked.

"We can get Rider and Drake the fuck out of there before they're taken." Murtagh replied without hesitation.

"God, again? Where do we put them this time?" Vanir drawled.

Murtagh merely glanced at the blue eyed man. Vanir met his eyes without flinching, but Murtagh could tell he wasn't going to stand up to him this time.

"Just away from their apartment. I suggest we have them stay with some of our agents. It will take too long to transport to them to a safe-house, time we don't have. And it will just look worse considering the trial is in a week." The hazel eyed man said calmly.

Ajihad covered his eyes with his hand.

"Is there any way we can capture them?" He asked tiredly.

"There might." Murtagh said and curled his hands into fists behind his back. "Someone is bound to know where they are. I can -"

"No, you cannot." The Captain interrupted gruffly. "I'm not letting you go back there."

Murtagh clenched his jaw.

"Sir, with all due respect, I'm the only one who can blend in there. Sending an agent fresh out of the Academy will only get him killed." The hazel eyed man said firmly.

"Sending you back there will get _you_ killed. My answer is no." Ajihad said with finality. "Any other way?"

"I'd need to think about it." Murtagh replied with a barely audible sour edge.

"Then think." The dark eyed man said and stood. "Nasuada, contact Detective and Officer Elve and have them get Rider and Drake over here ASAP. We need to find somewhere for them to stay."

"Yes, sir." Nasuada said and instantly had her phone out and proceeded to dial.

"Therr, look over all of the evidence that has been collected from the four murders. Even the tiniest detail can break the case." Ajihad said and turned his gaze to Vanir.

Vanir nodded sharply and practically stalked out of the room.

"Rider will be staying with Marron and Drake with Detective Black, unless that is of any inconvenience to you?"

Nasuada held a hand over the bottom of her phone and shook her head sharply. She quickly dove back into the conversation.

"No, sir." Thorn replied verbally, his gaze locked on Murtagh as he spoke.

Murtagh narrowed his eyes slightly at his best friend before locking eyes with the Captain again. Ajihad walked up to him and lowered his head so that they were at the same eye-level.

"Is there any way you can get the information you need over the phone or by letter?" Ajihad asked him quietly.

Murtagh shook his head.

"Threats work much better face to face." He stated simply.

The black haired man let out a quiet wince.

"Wait..." Murtagh paused. "I might be able to meet up with a contact of mine, in neutral territory, without having to step foot into the dodgy end."

Ajihad crooked an eyebrow.

"If you'll excuse me, I have a call to make." Murtagh said and, with a small nod of his head to his boss, stalked out of the room and into the lobby.

He could feel many eyes on him, but ignored them all. He found the row of payphones and selected the one furthest away from people. He found a few coins in his pocket and picked up the phone. Most payphones had cards these days, but the ones inside the station had a card slot and a coin slot for those who didn't have a phone card. Murtagh put the coins into the slot and started to dial. A few rings later someone picked up on the other end.

"_Ra'zac Tattoos._"

Murtagh smirked.

"It's been two weeks. I've come to collect the debt you owe me." He made sure to growl dangerously.

"_Ack, Murtagh!_" Ciljan whispered nervously. "_You should know better than to call, man._"

"I'm not going back to that filthy place unless I have to. You wouldn't dare to disobey me, now would you, Ciljan?"

"_Never. You know me, man. I wouldn't do that._" Ciljan whimpered.

"Good. Then you better have some information for me. Meet me at _Talon's_ and come alone." Murtagh said darkly. "If I even sense that someone's following you, I'll kill you and your friends."

"_Of course I'll be alone! Your word is law._" The other man said in a terrified whisper. "_I'll bring whatever you want!_"

"Good. 11 pm tonight. And remember Ciljan, come alone or pray I don't ever find you again, because then you'll be dead." The hazel eyed man said and hung up with a satisfying slam.

He ruffled a hand through his hair and turned around. He didn't even blink when he saw Thorn standing behind him, his arms crossed over his chest and an eyebrow raised in question.

"You enjoyed that far too much." Thorn stated simply.

Murtagh just shrugged.

"I thought we had talked about this." The redhead said and sighed. "And I thought we agreed that you needed to leave the sadist in you behind."

"I need to be a sadistic asshole when I meet my contact, or he'll never give me what we need." Murtagh explained calmly. "When this case is over and we finally have that mother-fucker behind bars, I'll leave the sadist behind."

Murtagh walked around his friend and continued back towards his office. He didn't have to look back to know that Thorn was rolling his eyes at him.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(04.37 PM – Tuesday 16__th__ of September. Inside Thorn's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon sighed heavily as he lay in the guest bedroom in Thorn's apartment. He had been moved hastily the day before, without getting a proper explanation at that. But he knew it had something to do with the latest case. How could it not? He just wondered what had happened to make them move Saphira and him without any warning.

Someone knocked softly on the door. Eragon didn't bother to lift his face from where it was buried in the pillow. He knew that knock.

"Eragon?"

"Yeah, just come in guys." He piped up tiredly.

He felt the bed dip as not one, but two people sat down next to him. He lifted himself up slightly to look into the faces of Saphira and Aksel. He briefly wondered why Aksel was there.

"Yeah?"

"We were just wondering how you were." Saphira murmured softly.

Eragon pushed himself up to lean against the headboard. He buried his chin into the soft material of the large hooded sweater he was wearing. It was the same one he had worn the day Murtagh had hugged him. Eragon mutely shook the memory away.

"I'm fine. But I am getting tired of all these people coming after me." He tried to joke.

Saphira's eyes softened at the same time as she hit him in the back of his head. Eragon really wondered how girls could express one emotion but do the exact opposite of what they were expressing.

"Shush you." She scolded softly. "At least we weren't shipped off somewhere this time."

"I dunno. I rather liked it up there." Aksel commented innocently.

"Oh, you would." Eragon growled.

Aksel held up his hands in surrender with a leer on his face.

"Hey, I know when I've been defeated. I may never have had your heart, oh Lady Eragon, but at least I got to have you in my bed!"

Eragon growled angrily as he practically tackled Aksel to the floor. The blond male laughed loudly as Eragon tried to deliver as many blows as he could. Saphira sat on the sideline and laughed quietly.

Thorn entered without knocking and raised an eyebrow in disbelief at the sight that greeted him.

"I don't need to ask Aksel, but how old are the two of you?" He drawled as he rolled his eyes.

"I don't know, what do you think, Saphira?" Eragon asked innocently as he hit Aksel on the head one more time before letting go.

"Five maybe? No older than six at least."

Aksel sat up and tried to flatten his hair. When he heard Saphira's answer, a new smirk entered his lips.

"Oh my, I never knew you were into pedophilia, Thorn my man." He said and waggled his eyebrows.

The red haired man growled threateningly. Aksel meeped loudly before diving onto the bed and under the covers. Eragon just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. I came to tell you that you two won't have to hide for as long as we feared. We got a few leads earlier today that will help us catch the killers." Thorn said and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"Woot!" Aksel exclaimed loudly.

A sharp glare from Thorn had him diving under the covers again before he could utter another word.

"Nothing to see here." The lump proudly proclaimed. "I'm not here. I'm not even talking! Nope, not me."

Eragon tried very hard not to behave like an anime character and sweatdrop at his friend's behaviour.

"Seriously, how did someone like him graduate, from the Police Academy no less!" Eragon said and tried not to whine.

"It's a mystery to us all." Thorn said deadpanned.

Aksel stuck his head out of the covers and sent a very impressive glare in Thorn's direction. The redhead lifted his hands in surrender and backed slowly out of the room, a few chuckles leaving his lips as he did so.

"Oh, and Nasuada's coming to pick you two up in an hour."

This sent Aksel under the covers in hiding again. Eragon and Saphira tried desperately not to laugh, but knew they were both failing. Thorn simply rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him. Aksel peeked out of his hiding-spot and sent a betrayed look their way. This only made the two others laugh even harder.

"Thanks guys, I feel so loved." Aksel drawled as he tried and failed to fix his hair.

"I must have stepped into the twilight zone." Saphira said with a small giggle. "That's Eragon's line."

Eragon presented his best friend with a well-earned, in his books anyway, glare. Saphira just grinned innocently in answer.

"So, we've got an hour to kill. Whatever shall we do?" The blonde said and looked pointedly at Eragon.

The brunet knew where she was going with the conversation. He opened his mouth to reply, but was beaten to the finish line.

"Have a threesome?"

The room fell into a stunned silence. Simultaneously Eragon and Saphira directed their gaze at the green eyed man sitting on the bed. Aksel just continued to look as innocent as he could be. Eragon and Saphira shared a quick look before opening their mouths.

"PERVERT!"

Aksel nearly fell off the bed in shock.

"Oy, no need to yell." He said with a slight pout. "It was you who asked."

Saphira sent the other blond a dark glare.

"No one asked you, Gutter-Mind Boy." She said.

"Ooh, that's a fancy name." Aksel said and grinned. "Far better than Fuck-You Dude and Butt-Sex Man!"

Eragon slapped his palm against his forehead.

"God, I hate you, Aksel." He murmured darkly.

"Awww, why? It's Saphira's fault I even heard about the guy." Aksel said and crossed his arms.

Eragon sent a small glare in her direction at this. Oh yes, he remembered that incident at the safe-house perhaps a little too well. Aksel hadn't stopped humming to '_If I Were Gay_' for a whole week whenever he or Murtagh were in the same room. It had been embarrassing to put it lightly.

"First I'm gonna kill you, then I'm gonna kill that bloody Lynch guy." Eragon growled under his breath.

"Oh, I know you don't really wanna kill me." Aksel piped up happily.

The brunet gave him his darkest glare.

"Wanna bet?"

Aksel immediately began to shake his head.

"Don't make me call Thorn." Saphira said in a mock-threatening voice.

The green eyed male grinned wickedly, but fell silent. Eragon continued to rub the bridge of his nose. He didn't know when he had started to, but he didn't want to stop. Suddenly he could feel a massive headache approaching.

"Eragon?" Saphira called out softly.

"Nah, I'm fine. Just a headache." He answered quietly.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I come bearing gifts!" Aksel exclaimed and pulled a file out of a bag Eragon hadn't noticed him carrying inside.

Eragon frowned as he took the file out of the blond's hands and flipped it open.

"But, this is -"

"Hey, I think you're forgetting that I'm a part of this investigation as well!" Aksel interrupted with a mock-pout. "I found this in Tag's office the other day, thought it looked interesting and grabbed it."

"You stole it?" Saphira asked suspiciously.

"Borrowed! The term is _borrowed_." Aksel stressed. "Besides, I would have heard this shit in court anyway. I was just giving myself a little head start."

Eragon blocked out his friends' voices and started to read the file in his hands. He flipped through the first few pages without really reading them.

There was a list of evidence suggesting that Galbatorix had gotten the other victims stalked and had ordered their kidnapping and later murder. Next was a witness list with directions to look at the written and signed testimonies in the back of the file. Then there was a list of drug crimes, minor trafficking, other murders and kidnappings that the police were trying to pin on Galbatorix. After that there was a list of evidence that suggested Galbatorix had violated and tortured Murtagh and had ordered Durza to kill Tornac while searching for Murtagh. And then Eragon finally found what he had been 

originally looking for. A list of evidence suggesting that Durza had followed and later killed Selena and Brom by Galbatorix's request, as well as a list of replies to the defending lawyer's probable objections on this matter. Another list of evidence suggested that Galbatorix had ordered Durza to kidnap the brunet and how they had wounded him while keeping him captive. Shruikan was even mentioned.

"I read through that thing myself earlier, and I am truly amazed by the work the PD has put into this." The blond male said and crossed his arms loosely over his chest. "They're going to try to nail old Galby for whatever they can trace back to him."

"Well, they're certainly doing a good job on writing up that list." Saphira commented softly as she read over Eragon's shoulder.

"Yup. If they manage to nail him for two or three of those claims, he'll be going away for life!" Aksel said with a smug smile.

"If they nail him for enough murders, they can plea the death penalty." Eragon muttered darkly. "It's no more than he deserves."

The room fell silent around him.

"Oh, I think I hear Thorn calling for me!" Aksel blurted out and sheepishly rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. "I'll be right back."

The other two watched as the green eyed male practically ran out of the room.

"Someone was not feeling awkward at all." Saphira drawled.

Eragon let out a quiet sigh and closed the file in his hands. He stared at the cover for a while before putting it down.

"... Do you want to talk?"

The brunet fisted a hand in his unruly hair.

"About what?" He asked softly.

Saphira sighed and scooted closer. Eragon let his eyes fall to rest onto the carpeted floor. Huh, had it been tiles then at least he would have had something to stare at.

"Oh, I don't know. About whatever's going on in that head of yours? And no, I'm not referring to Murtagh this time." She said softly.

"That'd be a first." Eragon drawled.

Eragon let his hand drop to clasp its twin in his lap. Saphira ran a comforting hand through his hair. Eragon sighed and closed his eyes.

"Eragon, none of us can possibly imagine how you're feeling right now." Saphira said quietly. "And we can't begin to understand what you have gone through during these last few weeks. But it would be good for you if you opened up."

Eragon grasped his hands so tightly that they started to hurt.

"It was horrible, you know. Horrible to wake up and realise that everything wasn't a dream after all. And then, then he just pulled away from me completely. That just... it just hurt so much." The brunet whispered brokenly. "It was horrible to have to go 

through it all again, listening to myself tell the events in such a calm voice when inside I just wanted to up and run away."

Saphira leaned closer and pulled him into her embrace. Eragon bowed his head and let her rest her chin on top of it. The blonde pulled him even closer and sighed.

"And all this time you just wanted him to be there beside you." She stated softly.

Eragon answered by staying silent.

"To have him put his arms around you, so that you could feel safe."

"I'm a fool. How on earth could I have imagined that it would have worked out?!" Eragon cursed at himself.

Saphira let her hand once again run through his hair softly.

"Shush, don't blame yourself." She whispered.

"But -"

"No buts!" The blue eyed female said sternly. "I won't hear it."

Eragon sighed in defeat.

"Do you think you can do it, stand up in court as a witness? I'm sure they can manage without you." Saphira said, but even Eragon could tell she didn't believe her own words.

"The bastard confessed to me, Saphira. I have to testify." The brunet said sadly. "He's going away for good this time. I want to make sure of that."

"Oh, you bet he will." Saphira said and Eragon could feel her smile. "Or else I'll make sure he'll have no dick to think with."

The brown eyed teen let out a spluttered laugh. He didn't doubt that Saphira meant every word.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(08.26 PM – Friday 19__th__ of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

"So, what are we going to do now?" Vanir asked in a bored drawl. "Wait for them to come to us?"

"No." The Captain said as he looked at his team over his folded hands. "We will be going to them."

"And how exactly are we going to do that?" The blue eyed male asked.

"We know where they're going to be in three days. We will raid the place in search for illegal activity at the time we've heard they're going to be present." Ajihad answered simply.

"And we can trust the informant?"

Murtagh scowled at Vanir. The other man gave him a small sneer before leaning back into his seat, his face blank once again.

"Yes." Murtagh replied nonchalantly. "I wouldn't trust him farther than I can throw him, but I know how to get accurate information out of him. The informant was telling the truth, or he knows I'll be after him."

"That's a comforting thought." Vanir snorted.

Murtagh answered the comment by smirking.

"I've already gotten a warrant from the judge. We'll meet back here again tomorrow 10 a.m. sharp to go over the plan. You're dismissed."

Murtagh remained seated as Nasuada walked out of the room, already calling back to, without a doubt, check on Saphira and Arya. Vanir simply slid his hands into his pockets and walked out. Thorn sent Murtagh a look before walking out as well.

"How're you holding up, son?" Ajihad asked softly.

Murtagh let out a loud sigh.

"Well, I can honestly say that I've been better." He replied in a quiet murmur. "I just want this all to be over. I can't stand worrying like this."

"Now, I don't know how your mind works, but if it were me I'd go and make sure the one I was worrying about was alright." The dark skinned man said as he shouldered on his jacket.

Murtagh lifted his gaze. He raised an eyebrow at his boss.

"You know I can't do that. Besides, I know he is. He's got Thorn with him, he'll be alright." The hazel eyed man said and stood up.

"Physically, yes." Ajihad agreed and laid a hand on Murtagh's shoulder. "Mentally however... I'm sure he wants to see you as much as you want to see him."

Murtagh let out a quiet snort.

"Ah, the youth is truly wasted on the young." The older man said and shook his head. "I'll never get you kids."

"It's a bit more complicated than that, and you know it." Murtagh snapped. "Sir."

Ajihad simply gave him a sad look.

"I remember when I first met you. You looked so confused and lost, not to mention tortured. You would barely let Tornac touch you, and you trusted him." Ajihad paused. "Even after he passed away, I have never seen you this close to looking like you did back then."

"What?" Murtagh asked and gave a bitter laugh. "Are you implying I look lost?"

"Very." The other said seriously. "And I believe it's in your best interest to find something to ground you."

Murtagh scowled as his boss walked past him and towards the exit. Ajihad stopped just in the doorway and turned back around.

"Now, that young Rider brought out something in you that Tornac never could." He said, looking right into Murtagh's eyes as he did so. "I'd look into that if I were you."

The hazel eyed man grit his teeth as his boss continued to walk out of the room.

"I already know I care about him, Captain!" Murtagh hollered after Ajihad, but the man was already gone.

Murtagh cursed under his breath and glared down at the floor.

"Who said anything about simply caring? You should know better than that by now, son."

The dark haired brunet whipped his head around, but when he looked up, there was no one there.

Murtagh glared at the spot where he knew Ajihad had been standing before letting out an irritated breath. He mumbled things under his breath as he scooped up the papers on the table and stuffed them into the file. Then he walked out of the room, closing the door and locking it behind him. Murtagh proceeded to walk towards his office, trying to block out the soft silence that seemed to linger inside the station once the night settled. Truth be told, Murtagh didn't like to stay inside the station after dark, but sometimes it couldn't be helped.

He found his office and almost unwillingly looked at the plate on it. _Sergeant Morann_, it said. Sometimes Murtagh hated his rank in the team. He scowled, unlocked the door and slipped inside.

He walked up to his desk and dropped the file onto its surface. Murtagh then proceeded to unbutton two more buttons on his shirt and pulled off his tie. He shouldered on his jacket and picked up his bag. He stuffed the tie into it and closed it. He was ready to go when something stopped him. Murtagh clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, willing his mind away from the talk with the Captain. The hazel eyed man shook his head and started to walk towards the door.

Only he wasn't able to take one step. Murtagh cursed under his breath and willed his legs to start moving. Nothing happened for a good minute.

"Fuck this." He snarled and angrily stomped over to his desk and opened the file that had haunted him all night.

He glared accusingly at the papers that first greeted him before he went to the back of the file. There he had pinned the picture that normally would be seen on the first page. Murtagh tugged it out and took a good look at it.

Soft brown hair, deep brown eyes, and a gentle smile that he missed so much greeted him. Murtagh caressed the picture with his thumb before putting it back in the back of the file.

"Goddamnit." He whispered and closed the cover.

Not a minute later he had grabbed his bag and was locking the door behind him.

* * *

**A/N** Since I forgot to mention this in the other chapters, I'll say it now. This story will be mainly in Murtagh's POV, but Eragon will have a scene or two that allows me to explain what's going on with him. For, as you can now see, Murtagh is staying clear of Eragon as much as he possibly can. A sneaky lil liar, ain't he? :wink:

But I ask you all not to judge him too harshly. He's been through a rather traumatic ordeal and he's still rebuilding his defences. And though he still seems like a jerk, maybe even more thanks to the brief scenes with Ciljan, he's hurting, never doubt that.

And as you now without a doubt can see, Eragon isn't taking Murtagh's "rejection" too lightly. He's thoroughly confused and still too angry to really talk about what happened, even with Saphira. But no matter what the last chapter made you think, Eragon isn't just going to sit back and take it. When he talks to Murtagh again, things are sure to explode, and not in a good way either, you pervs. :lol:

I don't know when I'll have the forth chapter out, and for that I'm sorry. I'm working on this story as much as I can, but soon I will be busy with adapting to college life and moving. But I promise you that the next chapter will be out before the end of August! That is the only deadline I can give you guys.

I know you may already know some of the words, but I'm adding them all just in case.

**Police Speak:**

_Submissive and dominant_ – this is actually true according to what I've understood from criminal behaviour analysis. When there are two killers working together, one is always dominant and the other is submissive. Usually the dominant does the killing, but in my story I have the submissive ones killing according to the dominant's instructions. When it comes to **twins** however, if they were to kill together, I have no idea if either of them were to be dominant. But, in order for the theory to fit into my story, I chose to have them both be equal and submissive to Galbatorix and stay that way even after he was captured.

_ASAP_ – short for As Soon As Possible

_PD_ – short for Police Department


	4. Commotion

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel) or story and I will report you. I also own version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:**Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Some major creepiness from Galbatorix. Mentions of Character Death – mentioned only. Mentions of Rape/Underage Violation (Rape) – mentioned and hinted only. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the forth part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and ask you all to once again buckle up, and keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride. We warn you that this will be a bit of a long ride, but promise that the upcoming chapter will be worth it.

I apologise in advance for this chapter. It's filled with a lot of information, but it's important to read. A huge thanks to everyone who read/reviewed and is still with me after all this time. A last thanks to **dragonrider713 **who managed to get through this! Lol.

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Four; Commotion**

_(05.35 AM – Monday 22__nd__of September. Inside Murtagh's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh leaned down and filled his cupped hands with more water and drenched his face. He stood bent over the sink in his bathroom and had not dared to look at his reflection since getting up a half-hour ago. It was becoming almost impossible for him to sleep lately. His hands curled around the edge of the sink as his mind seemed to forcibly make him remember what he was doing up at five thirty in the morning.

Murtagh had had trouble sleeping for the past week and a half. Whenever he'd close his eyes, he would see _his_face. And this time it wasn't just a flicker of a past nightmare. No, this time it was a real memory, a memory of when he had thought he had lost Eragon for good.

Murtagh's hands tightened; leaving the skin around his knuckles to seem even whiter than usual. He had done it again, thought _his_ name. The name was like a sin, one he wanted to repeat so many times that not even God could judge him anymore. But he wouldn't allow himself, so he wouldn't think the name again. The name brought back memories that should stay locked up along with emotions he didn't have the strength to process.

The hazel eyed man shook his head in a try to shake the thoughts out of his head. He scooped up some more water and splashed his face and neck. He shivered slightly as the drops ran down his neck and back. Murtagh reached for the towel and slowly started to dry himself. Parts of his hair had gotten wet, but he didn't care. He looked up as he started to dry his neck and his eyes collided with that of his twin. Murtagh slowly studied himself in the mirror as he continued to dry himself off. Or more specifically, he watched his left arm flex as it moved.

He hung the towel back in place, his eyes never leaving his left arm. He could still be surprised at what he saw on his bicep, even though the marks had been there for years. The fingers on his right hand ran along the thick and dark lines that they found there. Murtagh had been twenty when he had gotten his bicep tattooed. It was a tribal pattern that he had come up with himself. The work had been done by someone he trusted, and it looked perfect.

He let his right hand drop as a frown entered his face. Slowly the left hand joined in on pulling his sleeping pants down slightly on his right side. Slowly another tattoo was revealed. His eyes had moved from the mirror to watch his own hands. The tattoo was a half-coiled black wolf with a few white lines. Beside it, the kanji for wolf had been tattooed. A sneer entered Murtagh's lips as a finger ghosted over the two figures, drawing out two letters. A _G_ and a _K_. Galbatorix's mark.

Murtagh pulled up the pants harshly and exited the bathroom. As he started to dress himself, he couldn't help but to remember how that tattoo had come to be.

Galbatorix liked to mark his property. No one touched what was his and lived. And to make that even more clear, he had branded all his favourites with two gothic looking letters; GK. The first thing Murtagh had done when he had gotten eighteen was to go to a tattoo parlour and have the wolf and the kanji tattooed over it. The artist hadn't even blinked at the request, and had done a good job. If Murtagh hadn't known it, he would never have guessed there to be something else under the visible tattoo.

He finished dressing and walked out of the apartment. A short drive later and he had parked in the police's parking lot and was walking towards his office. The night shift were still buzzing about, but Murtagh didn't pay any attention to them. He knew that he was getting a few looks for coming in before six in the morning, but he didn't care. He answered to no one but Ajihad and the Chief of the precinct.

He was about to walk pass the meeting room when he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Murtagh frowned and walked up to it. When he heard familiar voices on the other side he pushed it open.

"Ah, here so early, Murtagh?" Ajihad said almost fatherly.

Murtagh frowned. Thorn, Vanir and someone he knew was a SWAT agent were dressed in full protection gear; but it was a slimmer model that was build for stealth.

In answer, Murtagh just nodded.

"We're getting ready to seize the suspects." Ajihad said next, and Murtagh noticed he was dressed similarly. "I trust you remember the plan?"

"I'm to stay here and 'hold down the fort' while working on the case with Elve and Black." Murtagh recited dully.

Ajihad nodded.

"Detective Elve reported to me a few minutes ago. She's with the possible targets now."

Murtagh nodded back.

"The two others are on their way." The Captain said and fixed the gun by his side. "Everything you need has been moved into this room."

The other three stood up and walked out of the room one by one. Thorn lingered for a moment to give Murtagh a brief nod. Murtagh answered with one of his own.

"Be careful out there, Captain. Watch out for alleys they can escape in. Remember, this is their territory." Murtagh said in a low voice.

Ajihad's face lost the little life it had, becoming serious and cold in an instant.

"We will, son. But remember, don't come after us." The older man said gravely.

"I may not like it, sir, but I promise I won't." Murtagh said and saluted.

Ajihad gave him a sad smile before walking out of the room, barking orders into his earpiece as he did so. Murtagh watched the door close behind him.

The hazel eyed man quickly went into working mode. He sat down in his usual seat and opened up the files in front of him. Then he laid out the five over-view photos of the victims and studied them all carefully. The first four had a message that spelled out the same, but even from the angle the last picture was taken, Murtagh could see the last one was different. He found a picture of just the message and read it. _**Thought you could get away that easily, E? Think again.**_

Murtagh frowned. There was something else written below it, but it looked like the murder or murderers had changed their mind and cleaned it off. He walked over to the counter inside the room, picked up a magnifying glass, and walked back to the photo. He could see it just barely, and was sure the lab could make out the message more clearly. He squinted slightly and read it. _**This is just the beginning.**_

Murtagh put the picture down and opened one of the previous nine files from the original case. Then he compared that writing to the one from the newer cases.

"Damnit."

They looked identical. That could prove to be a double edged blade. They could prove the twins worked for Galbatorix and murdered on his command, but the defence would say that the twins had worked and murdered individually and that Galbatorix had nothing to do with it. If the jury believed that, it could mean that Galbatorix could be spared of the life sentence, possibly even be able to get out on parole.

"What's going on?"

Murtagh turned around slowly to face the newcomers. Aksel stifled yet another yawn and Nasuada came up behind him. The dark skinned female was instantly by Murtagh's side and looked at what he had found.

"That could damage our case if we don't find more proof." Nasuada said quietly and sat down.

Aksel took another sip of the coffee in his hands and slumped down in his seat.

"Have you been able to I.D. the last victim yet?" Murtagh asked quietly.

"No." Nasuada said sadly. "We've put out a notice, but so far no one is missing him."

"Apparently he's not a student at CC either." Aksel said and began to snoop into his own files. "We suspect he was placed there."

"You've really been working on this without me." Murtagh stated.

"We suspected you didn't want to have a huge part in this part of the investigation." Nasuada said quietly.

"Why, because of him?" Murtagh said and held up the autopsy head-shot.

Nasuada remained silent.

"... I guess you're right." He said and sighed. "He does look too much like Rider for comfort."

Nasuada nodded softly.

"And my question is how the fuck did they manage to find someone like that!" Aksel piped up loudly as he flipped through a few pictures.

Murtagh stared at him blankly.

"He swears in the mornings. I thought you knew that after the last case?" The dark eyed female said and lifted an eyebrow.

"I wasn't usually graced with his presence in the mornings." Murtagh answered simply.

Aksel lifted the cup up in confirmation.

"Anyway, he must have been handpicked and so we hoped to find something that could be linked back to the killers. But they left no trace of them whatsoever." Nasuada said and sighed.

"We'll link this to them somehow." Murtagh said and frowned down at the pictures. "They are the ones that did it, I can feel it."

"Were there any trace of them back at the HQ?" Aksel asked as he chewed on a pencil.

"We never thought to check!" Nasuada said and sat up in a flash. "There were some traces of foreign DNA that we weren't able to match to the members we caught."

"Were did you find it?" Murtagh asked and looked at her from over his linked fingers.

"On a DB that the search team found in the southern basement." Nasuada said and showed Murtagh the file. "Where the DNA was found suggested that the DNA came from the victim's killer. We can say killers now because of the obvious two sources it must have come from and because of our suspects."

"Two sources but one DNA?" Murtagh asked, his eyebrow crocking slightly as he spoke.

"Yup. Cos as we all know, maternal twins have the same DNA." Aksel replied. "And right here are the DNA charts from the crime scenes and the basement. They match."

Murtagh smirked.

"We have enough grounds to be able to get a DNA sample." He said and felt his smirk widen. "Ask them to do a writing test as well, and we have them."

"Let's just hope we get them before the trial." Aksel said and tapped the pencil onto the desk. "Or we're screwed."

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(09.56 PM – Monday 22nd__of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh watched the scene before him unfold with a thin-stretched mouth. Ajihad and the rest of the team had managed to capture the twins where Ciljan had told Murtagh they would be. They had been separated on arrival and so far neither of them had said a word. Currently Murtagh was looking at was the older of the two twins. They could be told apart by the tattoos on their bald heads. The older one had a more complex and thicker black pattern on top of his skull. The detective inside the room, one Murtagh had only met with a few times, kept talking to him, but the man just continued to leer.

"I told you; he won't talk." Murtagh said quietly to the man beside him.

"It was too much to hope for, I suppose." Ajihad said in a soft murmur. "But we can't allow them to be in the same room."

"Have they agreed to the DNA and writing test?" Murtagh asked, his eyes not leaving the twin on the other side of the window.

"They both agreed, but have yet to say one word. They just signed the documents we presented them and declined the right to a lawyer."

"Old King taught them well." Murtagh said with a slight dark undertone in his voice. "Talk and you'll wish you were dead. That means no talking to even a lawyer."

"That certainly explains Shruikan's silence." Ajihad commented.

"The last thing that man does is to betray Galbatorix. I don't know how, but Galbatorix brainwashed him somehow. I remember the first time I saw Shruikan. He was in his early twenties I reckon when Galbatorix brought him in. He was full of life and had a fighting spirit. The next time I saw him, he was just a hollow shell." The hazel eyed man said gravely. "These two however... he was able to play with their minds and twist them to into being just who he wanted them to be. They were mere kids, they didn't know better, and they liked the way Galbatorix treated them and allowed them to hurt others. It was sickening to even hear about."

Ajihad fell silent when Murtagh finished speaking.

"Go in there." He said suddenly, making Murtagh jump a little from the shock. "Somehow, I know you'll be able to get something out of him."

Murtagh stared at his boss in shock. He narrowed his eyes at the man. Ajihad nodded slowly in consent. Murtagh pursed his lips before walking out of the door and towards the door leading to the interrogation room he had been looking into. He braced himself before entering.

Both men inside the room looked up when he entered. Even the office standing guard inside of the door was startled. Murtagh closed the door and approached the table. The twin before him raised an eyebrow when their eyes met. Ah, so he remembered him? That could work to his advantage.

"I'll take it from here." Murtagh said quietly to the other detective.

The copper haired detective nodded and gestured towards the seat beside him.

"He's all yours."

Murtagh smirked to himself when he remembered who the detective was. Orrin something, if he wasn't mistaken. Well, it was always good to know your ally's name.

"Mr Khimera, how are you this fine morning?" Murtagh said and rested onto the table by using his right hand.

The twin before him just widened his leer.

"Good." Murtagh commented and let a small smirk show on his lips. "Because it's about to get a hell of a lot worse. But let's begin easy; we want to save the best for last, now don't we? Where were you the night before 12th of September?"

"... I was at home." The twin said calmly.

The detective beside Murtagh let out a small gasp. Murtagh ignored him. He was too busy observing the twin to let anything the other detective did get to him.

The twin spoke with a rusty and slightly harsh accent. His parents had clearly not come from either Alagaësia or Surda.

"Really?" Murtagh let his smirk widen. "That is not what your brother is saying."

The twin narrowed his eyes slightly.

"He's your little brother, isn't he? Your tattoo tells us all we need to know. And yet... and yet you don't dominate him, don't hustle him around. Why is that?"

The twin crossed his arms and didn't answer.

"That's right, I promised to keep it simple." Murtagh paused with a small sneer. "Why don't you tell us where home is?"

The twin just raised his eyebrow. From what Murtagh could see, the twins both had dark brown hair. Their eyes were peculiar however. They were gray, but so light and glazed that they, like Galbatorix's eyes, looked almost white.

"Right. That's too personal, I gather?" Murtagh sat down, his eyes never leaving the twin's. "Let me try again. Can anyone verify that you were at home that night?"

"... My brother."

"You see, this is where I'm struggling. Your brother keeps saying that you were somewhere else. I simply don't know what brother to believe." Murtagh said and raised an eyebrow of his own.

"... My brother must have gotten the dates mixed." The twin replied, his calm edge breaking slightly.

"Of course." Murtagh said and smirked. "He must have confused it with the other day you both killed an innocent teenager."

Both of his eyebrows twitched. Murtagh allowed himself to feel slightly smug.

"We have evidence that links you both to the murders of fifteen teenagers." Murtagh said and allowed his voice to darken with anger. "All we want from you is your boss. We could get you moved to a prison where you and your brother will be spared from getting killed by the other prisoners. Just give us Galbatorix."

The man before him fell silent, and this time Murtagh could tell it was from shock.

"Come now. He'll be convicted anyway, why not save yourself a bit in the process?" The hazel eyed man said quirked an eyebrow. "I know that deep down you want to give the guy what he deserves."

The twin narrowed his eyes at him.

"No? Well, that's too bad." The hazel eyed man leaned back and chuckled. "Have a nice life in jail, or what's left of it anyway."

Murtagh rose from his seat and exited the room without another word. He found Ajihad waiting for him on the other side with a blank look on his face.

"His brother is in the next room." The Captain said simply.

"It's no use. I could see it in his eyes. They won't talk. But Galbatorix's DNA, which we have matched to the first ten victims, will link him to them without them having to even open their mouth."

"But it is still plausible that Mr King, with a good attorney, can walk." Ajihad said and sighed tiredly.

The older man started to walk and Murtagh made sure to walk beside him.

"Maybe." Murtagh said and bit back a sneer. "But let the attorney have a good time explaining why the bastards DNA were inside all of the victims, why his fingerprints were on every scene. I'll be looking forward to that show."

Ajihad stopped suddenly. Murtagh looked back at his words and cringed.

"Sorry, sir. I don't know what came over me." The dark haired brunet said humbly.

The Captain gave him a brief nod.

"I'll be seeing you at the trial, Morann. Remember, 12 o'clock tomorrow."

Murtagh cursed under his breath as he watched his boss walk away. For some reason, he knew something bad was about to happen.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(11.43 PM – Tuesday 23rd__of September. Inside the Local Court in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh fidgeted in his seat. He, Thorn and Vanir were seated just behind the police attorney on the left side of the court room. Behind him, he knew that Nasuada were saving seats for the four more that were due to arrive. Around him people were gradually starting to fill the seats. The trial had been closed to the public; only people who were linked to the case and a few media representatives were allowed inside. Murtagh could faintly hear the soft sobs of mothers that had lost their child in Galbatorix's sick game and the soft scratching of pen against paper. The media had been confiscated of any tape recorders or cameras before they had entered. They had only been allowed to take notes.

As far as he could see, everyone was dressed in neat clothes. Murtagh was no exception. He had put on a pair of black cotton pants, a black belt and a crisp white shirt. But he had refused to wear the tie the way Nasuada had tightened it; it now hung a little more loosely around his neck. The first two buttons on his shirt were open, showing just a hint of the light grey t-shirt underneath.

Thorn had been seated on his right and Vanir on his left. Vanir was already looking through something in his lap, no doubt notes on what they would do if the trial went the wrong way. They were both dressed almost identically to Murtagh, though Vanir in grey looked more professional and neater than him. Thorn had just put on his traditional dark brown pants and red t-shirt under the shirt. But Murtagh didn't really care who looked neater. He might be Ajihad's second in command, but he wasn't about to stand up and take a part in the trial unless he was called up on the witness bench.

A soft murmur suddenly rose inside of the room. Murtagh, though he had a feeling he knew the cause of the noise, turned around with the rest. Arya entered first. She was dressed like Nasuada; in a knee-length skirt and a shirt, though Arya's was unbuttoned to show off more of her assets. And while Nasuada had dressed in soft brown colours, Arya was dressed in grey and green. Behind Arya came a blonde Murtagh had gotten used to seeing.

Saphira had pulled her hair up and was dressed in a pair of jeans that looked really good on her and a blue shirt. Aksel came in behind her, though he stopped to wait for the final person that was sure to enter. Aksel had toned down a lot, Murtagh noticed. His hair lay neatly around his face, something that almost made him unrecognizable. He was dressed in a pair of black slacks and an open shirt with a tee underneath. And then the person Murtagh had been waiting for stepped inside.

His light brown hair looked as messy as always, but Murtagh had expected that. He was wearing a pair of loose, but not too loose jeans and a t-shirt over a white shirt. The shirt's collar was pulled up and folded over the tee's collar. Like Saphira, he looked nervous and looked like he felt out of place. Murtagh heart clenched at the sight. He looked just as beautiful as he remembered. _Eragon_.

As if Eragon had heard Murtagh think his name, he looked up. Their eyes met for a split second. Murtagh looked away and focused his attention in front of him. He both heard and felt the group walk up to sit a row behind him.

In front of him, the jury had just come out of their chamber. They all looked nervous, and some slightly excited about being there. A few looked bored though, not that Murtagh could blame them. The police attorney was a man around Murtagh's height that had light blond hair and beard and a likeable face. He, whose name was Hrothgar Darr, was talking quietly to Ajihad as they waited for the trial to start. The defence attorney sat to his right and waited for his client to come out. The defence was a tall man that had his brown hair slicked back and a slightly round belly. He looked eerily calm.

The door to his right suddenly opened and the court room fell into a hushed silence. Murtagh couldn't tear his eyes away from the man that was lead inside. Galbatorix looked bored and excited all at once. His face was blank, but his eyes gleamed of life and the constant malice that always was present. He had been dressed in a typical suit, though his shirt had been unbuttoned at the collar and his wrists were cuffed. With criminals like Galbatorix, they couldn't risk letting him escape. A guard watched Galbatorix sit down and then stood in the corner, just a few metres away from the prisoner.

Murtagh looked up at the witness bench. He had been inside of the court room many times, but he remembered his first time. Back then it had just been a chair that you sat in. Now the chair was installed with cuffs that more dangerous or insane criminals could be restrained with and a lie detector. The lie detector had been tested for a year inside of a few selective court rooms in Alagaësia, and had then afterwards become a law. Every court room now had one. There had even been made a specific detector just for court rooms. The witness didn't have to say just yes or no, they could now explain all they wanted, and the detector could pick up if they were telling the truth or not. It was an interesting tool in Murtagh's eyes, but he wouldn't want to be seated in the seat. To be fully unable to lie or hold something back was not a position he wanted to find himself in.

"All rise for Judge Trianna Magii of the Carvahall Court."

Murtagh rose slowly as he watched the woman come out from a door to the left. She was a thin woman that had a slightly raspy voice, without a doubt from smoking. When he had heard that she was going to be the judge, Murtagh had been relieved beyond words. Judge Trianna was the fairest judge in all of Alagaësia, and they had been lucky that she had been willing to oversee the trial.

"Be seated." Trianna said as she had sat down in her throne like chair. "In the trial of the State vs. Galbatorix King, the prosecutor may begin."

Murtagh crossed his arms and prepared himself mentally for a long trial.

An hour later both sides had mocked each other in the way that only lawyers can. The trial against Galbatorix regarding the drug crimes, minor trafficking and the other murders and kidnappings had taken place a few weeks before. Now it was time to focus on the ten murders and Eragon's kidnapping and attempted murder. But Galbatorix wouldn't receive a verdict until all of his trials were over. Murtagh had begged Ajihad to leave his case be, to let the past be the past, but the Captain had only promised that he wouldn't bring it up unless the defence did it.

Murtagh shook himself out of his thoughts just in time to hear the next witness being called.

"I call Galbatorix King to the witness bench!" The defence attorney, whose name was Sloan Brutch if Murtagh remembered correctly, called out.

Galbatorix was led up to the seat by his guard. The officer then buckled him to the seat and turned on the lie detector. Beside the older man, a technician sat down and started to monitor the detector. Murtagh could feel a new hush fall over the audience. It almost seemed like no one was breathing. And Galbatorix just sat there with an eerie leer on his face.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" The bailiff asked in a droning voice.

"I do." Galbatorix said, his leer never faltering.

"State your name for the record." Sloan said in his annoying voice that Murtagh knew others could find soothing or almost alluring if he put the right pressure behind his words.

"Galbatorix King." Galbatorix said calmly.

"Mr King, could you tell the court where you were on these dates..."

Murtagh blocked out the lawyer's voice. What he said was irrelevant. He took note on how Galbatorix shifted and how he looked when he answered the questions he was asked.

"Did you ask the late Mr Durza Shade to kidnap and attempt to murder Mr Eragon Rider?"

Murtagh woke up at this. There was something off about that question. He leaned forward and squinted at Galbatorix.

"No." The man answered calmly and smirked.

The technician held his thumb up, the sign that told the audience that Galbatorix was telling the truth. The court room began to talk in hushed and appalled voices.

"Order!" Trianna called out.

The room instantly fell silent. Murtagh cursed.

"No further questions, your honour." Sloan said and sat down.

Seeing his chance, Murtagh leaned forward to whisper in Ajihad's ear.

"Tell him to ask Galbatorix if he_ ordered_Durza to kidnap and kill Rider if needed be."

Ajihad turned around to look at him. Murtagh gave him a sharp nod and silently urged him to do so. Ajihad leaned over and whispered something in Hrogthar's ear. The blond haired man nodded and stood up when Trianna called out.

"The prosecutor's witness."

"Thank you, your honour." The police attorney cleared his throat before walking out from behind the table he had been seated at. "Mr King, are you saying that the late Mr Shade acted on his own?"

"Yes." Galbatorix answered calmly.

"So, you didn't order him to kidnap and to kill Mr Rider if needed be?"

"Objection, your honour! The question has already been answered." Sloan shouted loudly.

Murtagh looked at the man. The attorney looked alarmed by the question and even looked to be sweating a little. Sloan clearly didn't want them to ask it. Galbatorix must have given him a list of what words the police under no circumstances could be allowed to ask.

"Do you have a point with your question, Mr Darr?" Trianna asked.

"I do your honour." Hrothgar replied calmly.

"Proceed and come to your point." The judge said and gave him a slight nod.

"I will, your honour." The blond man said and turned back to the witness. "Mr King, if you could answer the question?"

"I didn't." Galbatorix replied with slightly narrowed eyes.

The technician looked like he had seen a ghost. He shakily pointed his thumb downwards. Once again Trianna had to ask the court to quiet down.

Murtagh allowed himself to smirk in triumph. Ajihad turned back to him with a raised eyebrow.

"It's all in the wording." Murtagh whispered to his boss.

Ajihad's eyes twinkled slightly.

"Mr Brutch, it seems like your client can't distinguish right from wrong." Judge Trianna said with a glare directed at the defence. "Or do I need to remind you of the consequences for lying inside a court room?"

"No, your honour." Sloan said and gulped.

"You may proceed, Mr Darr."

"Thank you, your honour." Hrothgar said and turned his gaze back to Galbatorix. "So, if I understood you right, Mr King, you did order Mr Shade to do the things I just mentioned?"

Galbatorix turned and directed his glare directly at Murtagh. The hazel eyed man didn't flinch. He just allowed a small smirk to enter his face before looking away. When confronted with Galbatorix, it was better to look cocky than scared, even if you were the latter.

"Answer the question, Mr King." The judge called out.

"You understood me right." Galbatorix answered darkly.

"Ah, it seems like we're finally done playing." Hrothgar said and clapped his hands together once. "Then how about we ask every other question again, just to be sure you didn't misunderstand them?"

"Objection, your honour! What are the grounds?" Sloan called out almost desperately.

"Your client has been caught lying in the court of Alagaësia. If he even answered one question wrongly, due to _misunderstanding_it, then he could end up being tried wrongly." Hrothgar said and looked over at his opponent. "And you don't want that now do you, Mr Brutch?"

Sloan pursed his lips. Murtagh could see that he looked pale and was shaking slightly. Obviously he knew that things weren't going his way.

"Proceed, Mr Darr." Trianna called out, silencing the court once again.

"Therr, give me a pen and a paper. I'm going to bring this bastard to the ground." Murtagh whispered to the black haired man next to him.

Vanir looked up with a brief look of shock on his face. It soon melted away and a smirk took its place. He handed over a pen and a piece of paper soundlessly.

As Hrothgar continued to reveal Galbatorix secrets and undermine every other answer he had given earlier in the trial, Murtagh worked on a list of questions and key words that the attorney would get a real answer with.

Unfortunately, as Murtagh reached over and slipped Ajihad the folded paper, Sloan had turned to watch them. And when Ajihad leaned over to whisper something in Hrothagr's ear, he stood up.

"Objection, your honour! The prosecutor isn't asking his own questions." Sloan barked out, a small look of triumph on his face.

Murtagh cursed under his breath. It looked like he might have to be a witness after all.

"Mr Darr?" Trianna called out, an eyebrow raised in question.

"The questions have been crafted by a member of the team that helped capture Mr King." Hrothgar said, and Murtagh had to give him credit for not showing any anxiety on his face. "It was with this member's help that we managed to capture Mr King's first... _misunderstanding_."

"This member you speak of, is he educated in the court's procedure?" Trianna asked, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"He studied law while going to the Police Academy, your honour. He never took a lawyer's exam, but he's qualified and knows the court's procedure as well as any lawyer." Ajihad said and stood up, a firm look on his face.

"Why doesn't he ask the questions, then?" Sloan barked with a small sneer. "That way you wouldn't have to rely on whispering in each other's ear."

The court room fell silent. Murtagh sneered darkly at the defence, and felt only a small bit of satisfaction when he saw the man flinch.

"Do you have any objections to supervise that, Mr Darr?" Judge Trianna asked with pursed lips. "Or I'm afraid the member you speak of will need to leave the court room."

Unfortunately, Judge Trianna was fair in every way. If Hrothgar didn't allow Murtagh to stand up, then she would either order it or have him leave the room. She wouldn't and couldn't allow the offense to get away with what Sloan had witnessed.

"No, your honour." Hrothgar said and sighed.

Murtagh, who had started to pull up his tie when Sloan had finished speaking, cursed out loud. He stood up and walked past Thorn. The redhead met his eyes and gave him an encouraging nod. Murtagh wasn't so sure that would help him any. One wrong step and they could lose Galbatorix forever. You couldn't be tried for the same crime twice, such was the Alagaësian law.

Murtagh entered the floor and walked past Ajihad. The Captain looked unusually pale where he was sitting. Murtagh gulped and met up with Hrothagr.

"I'll guide you the best I can, but basically you're on your own, Morann." Hrothgar spoke softly.

Murtagh just answered with a nod.

"State your name for the court." Trianna called out, her eyes fixed on him as she spoke.

"Murtagh Morann, your honour." Murtagh replied calmly.

"And before you changed your name?" Sloan called out mockingly.

"Objection, your honour! Mr Morann isn't on trial here." Hrothgar called out, anger just barely present in his voice.

"Mr Darr is correct, Mr Brutch. It was you who wanted Mr Morann to do the questioning." Trianna said and Murtagh was a little surprised when he saw the glare in her eyes. "But if you could answer the question, Mr Morann?"

There was a slight apology in her words. Murtagh schooled his face blank and stared at Galbatorix as he replied.

"Murtagh Morzanson Morann is my full name, your honour."

He saw Sloan stand up out of the corner of his eye, but a sharp glare from Trianna had him sitting before he could even open his mouth to speak.

"Thank you, Mr Morann. You may proceed." She said and leaned back into her seat.

"Thank you, your honour." Murtagh said, his eyes never leaving Galbatorix.

He was going to make Sloan regret calling him up to do the questioning.

"Mr King, could you tell us your intentions for kidnapping Mr Rider?" He asked and raised an eyebrow slightly in challenge.

"Objection!"

"Overruled!" Trianna practically barked out.

The sadistic side in Murtagh was having a field day. He mentally noted that he needed to do some serious meditating after he got home. He really wasn't too comfortable with the person he might be becoming.

"Answer the question, Mr King." Trianna ordered.

"I intended to make him a part of my group." Galbatorix replied, the eerie smirk growing as he talked to the hazel eyed man.

"And just what part of your group?" Murtagh asked calmly.

"I intended to make him mine."

"A whore, in other words?" Murtagh asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"OBJECTION!" Sloan called out again.

"OVERRULED!"

"In other words, yes." Galbatorix drawled and smirked even wider. "I was missing one ever since you ran out on me, Murtagh."

Murtagh sneered. He saw a few members of the jury jump at the dark glare he knew he was sending Galbatorix's way.

"We aren't here to talk about me, Mr King." Murtagh said and tried his best to smother his anger. "Why don't you tell us instead why you raped and made your subordinates kill ten other boys?"

"OBJ -"

"We were looking for Rider, of course." Galbatorix said cruelly, cutting off the objection his lawyer had almost come with. "They weren't the right boy I was looking for. They no longer served a purpose in my plan."

"Your plan in finding, kidnapping and breaking Eragon Rider!" Murtagh barked out angrily.

"Yes."

"So you admit to having a hand in the murder of ten young men?" Murtagh asked darkly, not even noticing before then just how close he had gotten to the older man.

Galbatorix met his gaze head-on. His lips, if possible, curled into an even wider leer.

"Yes."

"And what about the five new murders? What part did you play in those?" Murtagh growled, but didn't pull back.

"They were a decoy, to make it look like I was innocent." Galbatorix said calmly.

"And what about the last victim, huh? What was the deal with that?" Murtagh hissed.

But Galbatorix just smirked.

"YOUR HONOUR!" Sloan yelled loudly and stood up. "Objection! That is a new and still pending case."

"That is wrong, your honour." Hrothgar said and stood up much more calmly than his opponent. "We've caught the people that were responsible for the murderers who we can prove were working for Galbatorix. Mr Brutch here is shooting blind. And that trial doesn't have a court date yet."

"Then you should notify Mr Morann here of that." Trianna said and crocked an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, your honour." Murtagh said and send a half smile her way. "I'll move back to the current trial."

Trianna gave him a slight nod. Murtagh schooled his face blank again and turned back to Galbatroix.

"I'm curious, why haven't you or your friend asked me any questions about yourself?" The bald man drawled with a pleased smirk on his face. "Don't you want revenge, Murtagh?"

"That is irrelevant." Murtagh growled. "We're not here to discuss me, but the murder of ten boys and the kidnapping of another."

"Come now. Don't you want me to pay?"

"Mr King, in a court room it's the lawyer or someone that he supervises that asks the questions, not the witness." Judge Trianna said with narrow and cold eyes.

Galbatorix just continued to smirk. Murtagh crossed his arms to keep himself from lashing out at the old man. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to do the questioning or to be a witness. He just knew it was going to end badly.

"Mr Morann?"

"I'm sorry, your honour. I'll proceed." Murtagh said and barely noticed how his voice took an icy tone. "Why don't you tell the court why you were originally after Mr Rider?"

"I wanted his mother." Galbatorix said as if he was simply talking about the weather. "But sadly an accident happened, and my man ended up with killing both her and her husband."

"The people you speak of being Mrs Selena Rider and Mr Brom Teller?" Murtagh practically growled.

"Yes. And Durza Shade, of course." Galbatorix chuckled. "Of course, since I couldn't have the original, I had to settle with a substitute; her son. He looks remarkably like Selena, doesn't he?"

"Mr King." Trianna said warningly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, your honour. I won't stray from the point again." Galbatorix said and smiled evilly. "I walked around the country looking for him until I finally found him here. The rest you know."

"Indeed." Murtagh commented coldly. "No further questions, your honour."

He stalked around and sat down heavily in the empty chair beside Ajihad. He knew his boss was looking at him worryingly, but he stared straight ahead and ignored everything around him.

"You're dismissed, Mr King." Trianna said and let out a barely noticeable sigh.

Galbatorix was escorted back to his seat, but his eyes never left Murtagh. The hazel eyed man made sure to keep his eyes unfocused and away from Galbatorix's gaze.

"Mr Brutch, your next witness?"

"I'd like to call Murtagh Morann up to the bench, your honour." Sloan said smugly.

"Objection!" Hrothgar called out as he stood angrily. "Mr Morann has nothing to do with this trial. He chose himself not to file anything against Mr King and wishes not to approach the bench. Had it not been for my colleague, he wouldn't have done the questions either, your honour."

Judge Trianna frowned. Her face, despite her age, was devoid of any wrinkles. Her slowly greying hair was pulled back in a tight bun and her cold green eyes shifted over to Murtagh as Hrothgar finished speaking.

"It would be the same as asking a lawyer to be a witness in a trial where he's defending his client, your honour." Hrothgar continued; his hands slowly clenching into fists on top of the table.

"Your honour, Mr Morann was a witness to the scene where Mr Rider was rescued." Sloan said with a barely noticeable smirk. "The only one that, in a way, has nothing to benefit from sitting on the witness bench."

"Your honour, Mr Brutch clearly has an impure motive for doing this. Mr Morann is on my side of this case, there is nothing he can hope to gain out of this besides discomfort for Mr Morann."

The judge held up her hand and both men fell into a silence. Murtagh, who had been scowling throughout the bickering between the two lawyers, made sure his face was devoid of any emotions as he looked up at the judge. He knew it, the whole court knew it; he was going up there.

"Mr Morann, approach the witness bench, please." Judge Trianna said with a soft scowl. "But you have been warned, Mr Brutch."

Murtagh, making sure that the sound of his chair covered the noise, cursed. Nothing good was going to come of this, he just knew it.

* * *

**A/N **Hello again everybody. I apologise for the wait and hope it was worth it. I also apologise for the cliffhanger, but it is thanks to that cliffie that chapter five is completed and will hopefully be posted soon.

To those who are perhaps wondering about Murtagh's tattoos, I have a few things to say. No, I did not mention either of them in _Red Haze _because I felt that they were irrelevant. And Eragon didn't notice them either because; one is **always **covered and he was too busy staring at Murtagh's chest and right arm to notice anything on the left. Wouldn't you have been? :raises eyebrow: And the scene I'm referring to here is chapter four of _RH_.

So, why am I mentioning his tattoos here? Because if you look closer in the previous chapters, you can just barely see that Murtagh isn't too comfortable in his own skin after the presumed death of Eragon. That is why he's suddenly taking notice of them again, hence why I haven't mentioned them in this fic before now. He's trying to find himself, but believe me people; he isn't in for an easy ride!

I apologise again for the long wait for this chapter and for your replies. I've been swamped with work, and nothing has been going my way lately. In fact, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. I just beg you all to wait patiently. This story is far from over.

I'm also working on the sequel to _Haunted_, along with every other story that I have up on my profile. I ask you all to be very patient with me. Stress has already nearly killed me twice, and writing stories is something I do to relax. I beg you all to understand where I am right now. I'm getting overly busy with college, and since I'm moving in a matter of days, I won't be able to write for a little while. But I'm just talking about a week. After that I will have Internet on a daily basis, as I've spent the last month with Internet two days a week, and I'll be able to reply and post more regulary.

That is all for now. I'll be back with more hopefully sometime in early September. My plan is to have something up around my B-day, and I really hope I can pull it off.

I know you may already know some of the words, but I'm adding them all just in case.

**Police Speak:**

_SWAT_ – (in my story) police agents that make sure the coast is clear for the "normal" cops to move in

_I.D._ – short for Identify

_CC_– short for Carvahall College

_HQ_ – short for Head Quarters

_DB_ – short for Dead Body

Twins and their DNA – Maternal twins actually share the same DNA. This is what the Twins in this story are, so therefore they do indeed have the same DNA. They do however have different fingerprints.

_Defence attorney_– the lawyer that represents the person that has been convicted of a crime, here Galbatorix

_Prosecutor_ – the lawyer that represents the police or whatever organisation/person that's accusing the defendant of committing a crime

_Defendant_ - the person that's been put up for trial

_Technicians_ – (in this chapter) someone that monitors the lie detector and tells the rest of the court what it says


	5. Kill

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Yaoi – meaning guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Mentions of Character Death – mentioned only. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action. Mentions of Rape/Underage Violation (Rape) – mentioned and hinted only. Some ass-whooping – meaning that some people are going to be kicking each other's asses. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the fifth part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and ask you all to once again buckle up, and keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride. We apologize in advance for Murtagh's behaviour, and hope you enjoy the chapter.

This is dedicated to my fan-fucking-tastic beta **dragonrider713**!! Without you hon, I would still have been clutching my head tightly and been staring frantically at an unfinished chapter! You are amazing!

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Five; Kill**

_(01.02 PM – Tuesday 23__rd__ of September. Inside the Local Court in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon couldn't help but to gulp. He had never thought courts could be this exciting and crackling besides on television.

Whenever his name had been mentioned, he had cringed and squirmed in his seat. He had believed that was going to be the worst part of the trial, hearing what Galbatorix had to say about that. But then Murtagh had been called up! Eragon was sure he had stopped breathing. But then Murtagh had been forced to stand face to face with Galbatorix. Here Eragon knew his heart had stopped beating. But nothing beat the anger and pain he had felt when Murtagh had conned the answers out of Galbatorix about his mother.

Nothing that was, until Murtagh had to stand up and approach the witness bench.

Eragon had to admit that Murtagh, despite the sneer on his face and tiredness in his eyes, looked as handsome as always. But there was a darkness lurking beneath the hazel orbs that scared him. Suddenly he knew what Aksel had been talking about.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

The brunet shook his head and looked up. Beside him, he could feel Saphira squeeze his hand comfortingly. Eragon sent her a half-smile before looking up front again. His heart was in his throat, and even though he didn't want to look, his eyes weren't going to let him miss one second of the trial.

"I do." Murtagh drawled, pulled his hand from the Bible and sat down.

"The defence's witness." The judge called out.

Sloan stood up and Eragon could see that there was a definite smugness on his face.

"Mr Morann, could you tell us your relationship with Mr King?"

"Objection, your honour!" Hrothgar barked. "What does this have to do with the case?"

"Establishing Mr Morann's prior knowledge of my client, your honour." Sloan replied effortlessly.

"You may proceed." Trianna said with pursed lips.

"Thank you, your honour." Sloan said and straightened his tie. "Mr Morann?"

"My father was Mr King's right hand man." Murtagh replied coldly. "I grew up in Mr King's gang."

"And what else?" The defence asked with a wide smirk.

"Objection!"

"Overruled." Trianna sighed.

"If you must know..." _You bastard_, was left unsaid but the words were clearly visible on Murtagh's face. "I used to be his favourite whore."

"But you ran away?" Sloan asked.

"Yes." Murtagh drawled with a small glare.

"And you feel no current loyalty towards Mr King?"

"Your honour!" Hrothgar stood up. "Objection!!"

"Overruled. But get to your point, Mr Brutch. So far I can't see what this has to do with the case." The judge said and stared pointedly at the brown haired lawyer.

Sloan grin was starting to waver some. He looked back at Murtagh and suddenly it grew in force.

"No, I do not." Murtagh growled in answer to the previously asked question.

Eragon winced. There was murder in that voice. He was surprised that the defence was able to stay so calm. Especially due to how he made waiting for the technician to raise his thumb into such a show.

"Thank you, Mr Morann. Now, could you tell the court what happened the night you went in to rescue Mr Rider?" Sloan asked, and he jumped slightly when Murtagh's glare darkened even more.

"I went in, took out the guards and made my way towards where Mr King could be hiding."

"And how did you know this?"

Murtagh's glare, if possible, darkened even more.

"I remember how the layout of the previous head quarters looked like. I guessed where he could be hiding and found him. This is all in my report, Mr Brutch, had you bothered to read it." He said drawled. "I found Mr King, Mr Shade, Mr Darc and Mr Rider in the room. I incapacitated Mr Darc and had to shoot Mr Shade in self defence. Mr King then fled and I waited with Mr Rider for SWAT to arrive."

"Thank you, Mr Morann." Sloan said and opened his mouth to speak more, but Murtagh beat him to it.

"The case that raised the question if I shot Mr Shade in self defence has already been closed." The hazel eyed man said. "It was ruled self defence, in this court room, by the current judge."

"Thank you for that little lecture, Mr Morann. However, it was not what I had been about to say." The lawyer said and straightened his tie.

Eragon had to snort. Even he knew that Sloan was lying.

"Would you say that it looked like my client was, as said in your report, about to kill Mr Rider?"

"He had a knife to Mr Rider's neck, two in fact." Murtagh said with a warning edge in his voice. "I would say so, yes. And I tend not to lie in my reports, sir."

Sloan winced slightly. He quickly pulled himself back together and by the look on his face, went for the ace in his game.

"But Mr Morann, as an officer of the law, shouldn't you have pulled yourself off the case if you had any personal relations with the suspected offender?" The lawyer said and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Your honour!"

"Overruled." Trianna said and frowned. "Answer the question, Mr Morann."

"If I had to pull myself off every case related with Mr King, then I wouldn't have a job." Murtagh said in a barely controlled voice. "But the real why, sir, is just because of my relations with Mr King. I know how he works. Wouldn't you have used that to your advantage as well, especially if you could stop the murderer of innocent teenage boys?"

Sloan was starting to look really uncomfortable.

"Mr Morann, be careful of what you say inside the court." Trianna scolded.

"I'm sorry, your honour. I didn't know how else to phrase my answer. May I try again?" Murtagh said and crocked an eyebrow. "I tried to stay out of the case as much as I could. I was not there when they arrested Mr King, and neither was I there when he was brought in for questioning. But as the Captain's second in command, I have to be involved in the case, whether I should or not."

"One more question, your honour." Sloan said and stepped away from Galbatorix.

Eragon stiffened. Somehow he knew Sloan had saved the worst for last.

"Do you still have it?"

Murtagh stiffened as well. His face darkened considerably.

"What?" He hissed.

"It's an innocent question, Mr Morann. Do you still have **it**?" The defence asked with an innocent look on his face.

Hrothgar and surprisingly enough, the judge looked to be ready to object, but Murtagh answered before either of them could speak.

"No." He said icily.

"No further questions, your honour." Sloan said smugly.

"Not so fast! Mr Brutch, what was the meaning of this?!" The judge asked in an almost angry voice.

But before she could get an answer out of him, Murtagh had stood up and was stalking down the floor. And before she could call him back, he had pushed open the doors and was gone.

"ORDER!" Trianna called out as several journalists started to stand up and looked like they wanted to storm after Murtagh, possibly to get some juicy news.

But no matter how much Trianna raised her voice, the audience wouldn't to calm down. Saphira was trying to talk to him, but Eragon was in another world. There was something he needed to do, fast. He shot her a look before he stood up and shouldered his way through the masses. He slipped past the members of Murtagh's team; all who were trying to get everyone back into their seats. And just as the officers by the doors started to close them, Eragon slipped through and was on the other side.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(01.22 PM – Tuesday 23__rd__ of September. Outside of the Local Court in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh sucked in the smoke and almost felt his toes curl in pleasure. He wasn't sure what had made him stalk over to the small vender, but a minute later he had a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in one hand and was leaving a thoroughly spooked attendant behind. Then he had walked back up to the building he had just come out of and had lit his first cigarette in eight years.

When he had taken the first drag of the stick, he hadn't cared that he knew someone was due to come after him soon. Ajihad would smack him in the back of his head, Nasuada would slap him, Arya would take the cig and stab it somewhere on his person and Thorn would punch him into unconsciousness if either of them caught him smoking. But at that moment he was too stressed to care.

"What, are you smoking now?"

Murtagh, who had closed his eyes while he had continued to finish off his first cig, opened them slowly. He knew that voice.

Murtagh could remember that he had once thought that the brunet's face would look horribly cute when he got mad. And as he stuffed out the cig on the wall behind him, he noted that he had been right.

"No. I quit eight years ago." Murtagh replied in a nonchalant voice.

"Yeah, that looks like quitting to me." Eragon drawled and narrowed his eyes even further.

Murtagh, instead of taking out another cigarette like he actually wanted to, put the pack into his pocket.

"What are you doing out here, Rider? The last time I checked, the trial was still ongoing."

"The last time you checked, you were storming out of there." Eragon snapped. "I exited just in time to hear the judge call for a 30 minute break."

"Ah." Murtagh breathed.

Maybe having another cigarette wasn't such a bad idea? Murtagh could just feel the stress building up inside of him. Hell, just being near Eragon seemed to take a lot more out of him that he could remember; and not in a good way either. For some reason he couldn't help but to think; _when did he become so annoying?_

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Murtagh turned around and stared at Eragon in shock. The brunet himself looked a little startled at his angry exclamation, but quickly got over it.

"You're a bastard, I hope you know that." Eragon continued, his fleeting shock obviously forgotten. "You're such a fucking bastard!"

"What?"

"Never mind that you fucking lied to me and said we would see each other, but when did you become so heartless?!" The brunet practically snarled.

"What the hell did I do?" Murtagh asked, trying his best to keep his temper in check.

He cared for Eragon, and he didn't want to hurt him. He continued to remind himself of that fact as his hands clenched into fists by his sides.

"What did you -? Like you don't know." Eragon hissed. "I can understand that you're a little on edge because of the trial, but I thought that you actually were serious when you said that you cared about me!"

"I was serious!" Murtagh growled. "How dare you imply otherwise?"

"The annoying comment is one factor." Eragon said and glared.

Shit. He must have said that out loud, Murtagh realised. No wonder Eragon was a little irritated. But this much?

"And the fact that you've totally ignored me since then." Eragon continued angrily. "I at least expected that you'd visit or at least call me after you learned that I _wasn't_ in fact dead."

Murtagh winced. He really didn't like to be reminded of that fact, and it did nothing to reduce his anger.

"Eragon, do you have any idea how hard it is for me to be around you?" Murtagh said as calmly as he could, which at that point wasn't calm at all.

"Obviously a lot." The brown eyed teen growled.

"And not for the reasons you think!" Murtagh protested and tried his best to keep the red hot anger out of his voice.

By the narrowing of Eragon's eyes, Murtagh could tell that he wasn't succeeding.

"Oh, so it's not just because I'm an annoying little brat?" Eragon spat out harshly.

"I never said that!" Murtagh exclaimed angrily.

A look of shock entered Eragon's face and he took a step back. Murtagh cleared his throat and tried to calm himself down. Damnit, he hated how he lost control around Eragon so easily!

"I care about you, more than I have ever cared about someone before." Murtagh growled; angry at himself for not being able to control his emotions and angry at Eragon for being able to tear down his shields without even trying. "Why can't you see that? I nearly died when I thought you were dead!"

The brunet winced.

"Well, you never told me that yourself. I had to hear it from someone else that you actually still cared." He said in a low voice, though it was laced with bitterness.

Murtagh took a step forward.

"You doubted me?" He asked icily.

Eragon gulped. Murtagh narrowed his eyes as the brunet started to back away. Murtagh nearly stalked forward until he had Eragon trapped against a wall, his arms on either side of the younger brunet.

"You doubted me." Murtagh stated.

Eragon looked into his eyes and didn't flinch when Murtagh felt himself sneer.

"It's hard not to when you continue to avoid me." He said softly.

"I don't want you to get harmed. Being close to me _will_ get you hurt. That's why I did what I did." Murtagh said and leaned down until it was only centimetres between their faces.

"A lot of good that did me." Eragon said bitterly. "People still came after me."

Murtagh leaned down even more. He could feel Eragon's soft breathing against his lips.

"That was not intended. After this the nightmare will be over. You'll be able to live without having to look over your shoulder every day." He whispered huskily.

Fuck, he really needed to get away from the brunet soon. It was already starting to affect him.

"And how do you know that?" Eragon said suspiciously and leaned even further onto the wall behind him.

"No one will dare to come after you after this." Murtagh hissed. "Galbatorix will be locked away for good, his inner circle along with him. There is no one left that will see the profit in going after you."

"How can I believe you after everything you've put me through?"

Murtagh's lips stretched into a thin line.

"I swear on whatever bond we created between us two months ago that I will make sure no one comes after you." The hazel eyed man whispered.

Eragon smiled sadly.

"That doesn't change anything, right? I know you. You'll make sure, alright; from the side line. Fuck, I've seen more of that Vanir guy than I have of you these last couple of months." He said and let out a bitter laugh.

Murtagh killed the growl that nearly left his lips. Just like that his anger, which had been lying on a comfortable level of irritation, had risen to blood lust.

"What?" He growled.

"What?" Eragon said with a slight frown. "He's been hanging around Aksel a lot lately. Don't tell me you haven't noticed?"

Murtagh didn't care that his lips formed a sneer. That could mean multiple things.

"I haven't." He said darkly. "If Therr has been hanging around Elve, it's been after work. Or maybe he's just hanging around him to get closer to you."

Eragon's eyes widened for a second before they narrowed in suspicion.

"What the hell are you blabbing about?" He asked.

"You don't have to pretend anymore. It's quite obvious. I'm almost ashamed I didn't see it before." Murtagh's sneer deepened. "You're fucking him."

"What?" Eragon hissed. "Who?"

"Therr." Murtagh stated deadpanned.

The brunet's mouth opened in confusion. Before Murtagh was quite sure what had happened, Eragon had lifted his arm up and punched him hard in the face. He stumbled back a step. Murtagh's head had been forced to the side from the force of the punch and his cheek started to throb. He brushed the back of his hand against his mouth and wasn't surprised to see blood on his skin. He spat on the ground and looked back at the brunet.

Eragon's face was white and flustered at the same time. He was panting harshly out of his nose and his mouth was curled in an ugly snarl.

"I know I never actually said it to you before, but damnit, Murtagh." Eragon looked torn between several emotions as he continued to speak. "I love you! **You**, damnit! Not Vanir, not Aksel, not anyone else you could somehow manage to couple me with, _you_!"

Murtagh fell silent.

"How... you said you knew my feelings, and then you come here and say that to me?" Eragon said in a low and almost betrayed tone. "I don't know what to make of you anymore. And I'm not even sure if I... if I can love who you've become. **Damnit**, Murtagh."

Eragon bit his lip and looked away. Still Murtagh stayed silent.

"They all told me you were different. I... I guess I didn't really believe them. I never thought you could change this much. I never thought you could actually become such a cold-hearted bastard."

Murtagh winced. No thoughts were going through his mind, but still he reacted to the words.

"I don't... I can't..." Eragon's voice trailed off and he shook his head.

Panic rang through Murtagh's mind and Eragon began to step away. He stalked forward and almost forcibly captured the brunet's lips. Eragon stiffened under his touch. Murtagh had a hand behind his neck and another on his waist, holding Eragon tightly against himself. He moved his lips harshly against Eragon's and begged silently for the other to come with a reaction, any reaction, to his touch.

Then it came, a slight pressure back. Murtagh could have sobbed. He pushed even more against Eragon and nearly moaned in pleasure when Eragon opened his mouth. The brunet's hands came up and grabbed tightly onto Murtagh's shirt. Eragon pushed desperately against him, almost as if he was worried Murtagh would disappear otherwise. Murtagh coaxed him into an even deeper kiss.

Their lips glided over each other, teeth clashed briefly and tongues danced against each other. The kiss seemed to go on forever, and yet it seemed to end in less than a second. When they parted, they were both panting. Eragon's eyes were closed tightly, but Murtagh had barely even blinked as they had kissed. A part of him hadn't allowed himself to.

"See? I really don't get you." Eragon whispered hoarsely and opened his eyes. "One minute you look like you want to kill me and the next you're kissing me."

_This is what you have reduced me to_, Murtagh thought but found himself unable to say. _I can no longer control my emotions. Somehow you've snuck past every one of my barriers and can break them down in the blink of an eye._

"I..."

Murtagh cursed himself when his voice caught. Why? Why was he suddenly speechless?!

"I just..." Eragon bit his lip, looking like he had the same problem himself. "I don't know if I can wait for you anymore. I know, I know, you told me not to. But when did I ever do what you asked me to?"

Murtagh let a smirk enter his lips. True.

"I... are you worth waiting for? I can't tell anymore." The brunet looked away.

Murtagh wisely chose not to answer. He knew what he would have said then.

"But I can tell you one thing." Eragon said and looked up with a hard look in his normally warm eyes. "If you continue to be this bastard, then I don't know if I can even be your friend anymore."

Eragon stepped away from him, and this time the hazel eyed man let him.

"Until next time." He said, knowingly echoing Murtagh's own words, and turned around and walked away.

Murtagh looked after him, a hint of a smirk still on his lips. He brushed a finger over his cheek and winced slightly. He was definitely going to get a bruise. But at that moment he found himself unable to care.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(04.07 PM – Tuesday 23__rd__ of September. Inside Murtagh's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh let out a sigh. He closed the door behind himself and threw his jacket and tie into a chair, not even bothering to see if the clothes hit their mark. He toed off his shoes and continued to walk into the living room. There he collapsed onto the couch and let out a tried moan. There was a reason he hated trials.

* * *

_**(01.49 PM – Tuesday 23**__**rd**__** of September. Start Flashback)**_

"What the hell happened to you?" Thorn asked almost harshly when he stepped back into the court room.

Murtagh rolled his eyes. He simply sat down and didn't respond.

"Looks like someone took a swing at ya." Aksel said and winced.

Murtagh snorted. He looked to the front of the court room. There had indeed been a call for a break; Galbatorix and his guard were gone. But if his calculations were correct, Murtagh suspected the trial was due to start again very soon.

"Murtagh." Thorn growled.

"A right hook happened." He drawled in answer. "The trial's about to start soon, correct?"

"Yeah. And how the hell did you know that?"

Murtagh smirked. He simply gave his best friend a look. Thorn's eyes narrowed.

"Arya just called. She's keeping an eye on Eragon, just in case anything happens." Nasuada said and sent a frown in Murtagh's direction.

Thorn suddenly turned from suspicious to murderous.

"You didn't." He growled warningly.

"What?" Murtagh asked.

Thorn's hand, which was clenched in a tight fist, was shaking from anger. Murtagh had to admit he was a bit intimidated by his best friend.

"You did." The redhead stated. "Why, I ought to -"

"All rise for Judge Trianna Magii of the Carvahall Court." The bailiff droned just then.

Thorn sent Murtagh a murderous glare as he stood up. Murtagh winced. Well, at least later he'd have a black eye to match the bruise on his cheek.

The judge walked in and sat down. The jury, which had been led in without Murtagh noticing, looked more shaken than Murtagh could remember. But he couldn't blame them either. Galbatorix however looked like a king on his throne as he sat in his chair, even though he was still cuffed.

Around them the court fell into a tense silence.

"Mr Brutch, do you have any other witnesses?" Judge Trianna asked.

"I don't, your honour." He said and sat back down with a slight grimace on his face.

"Mr Darr?"

"I don't either, your honour." Hrothgar said and looked noticeably calmer than his opponent.

"Very well. You may begin your final review, Mr Brutch." Trianna said and leaned back into her seat.

Sloan stood up; ready to try to save his client no matter what he had to do. Murtagh winced as he listened to Sloan's rehearsed speech. Really, his arguments were flimsy at best. A measly high school student could make better arguments than him. But Murtagh refused to say that the case was won just yet. Sloan could have more tricks up his sleeve, or the jury could have been spooked somehow by Galbatorix to allow the sentence to fall in his favour. Nothing was over yet.

The hazel eyed man was startled when he saw Hrothgar stand up. Apparently Sloan was done with his 'presentation'. But no matter how much he wanted to, Murtagh was unable to fully concentrate on Hrothgar's words. His mind was elsewhere, even though his eyes wouldn't move away from Galbatorix. The man looked too calm for his liking. It wasn't over yet, not by far.

"The jury may retreat. The court will be adjourned in an hour."

Murtagh stood again and watched the jury and judge disappear into separate rooms. He was barely able to see Galbatorix be taken away into a different room. He ran a hand through his hair and prepared himself to have to scare away any eager reporters that dared to approach him.

"You. Talk. Now." Thorn growled angrily and practically dragged Murtagh out of the room.

Murtagh rolled his eyes when he saw Nasuada follow. He was just able to make eye-contact with Saphira before the doors closed. He allowed himself to be dragged into an empty corridor and was just able to sidestep being slammed into a wall.

"I know you're angry, but -" He narrowed his eyes. "Calm down, Thorn."

"No. What did you do?" The redhead said icily.

"Calm down, boys." Nasuada said and literally stepped in-between them to avoid starting a fight. "You can't afford to kick each other's asses here. Save it for the gym."

"He's still talking." Thorn said and sneered.

"We just talked, Thorn." Murtagh said and snorted. "What did you think we did? Shagged like rabbits?"

"That looks like a lot more than _just talking_ to me." Thorn said and nodded towards the other's swollen cheek.

"Rider's not a wimp. I got what I deserved." Murtagh said and shrugged. "That's all there is to it."

"I'm betting I'll get a totally different tale from Eragon if I ask him." Thorn said smugly.

"Believe what you want." Murtagh said and let a small sneer enter his lips. "You're just as stubborn as me, and you know it."

"Exactly." The red haired male said with just a hint of resignation. "That's how I know exactly what you need; someone to keep you in place but who can challenge you at the same time."

"Come on, not this bullshit again." Murtagh said and stepped away from his two friends. "I'm not listening to another one of these speeches."

"Murtagh, I've never seen you like you were inside of there today." Nasuada said and bit her lip. "It's scaring us all. You need to snap out of it."

"Or you'll snap instead." Thorn said held an imaginary gun to his head.

"I can't believe you're still holding that against me. I was a teenager! I was depressed!! Give me a fucking break!" Murtagh yelled angrily. "I know what's best for me, alright?! So just leave me the fuck alone!"

Thorn narrowed his eyes even further. Nasuada was gazing at him sadly, yet angrily at the same time. Murtagh smacked himself mentally. Great, what had he done now?!

"If you keep telling us that, we just might." Thorn said calmly.

Murtagh clenched his jaw tightly. He wouldn't allow himself to respond to that, or he knew he would lose the two friendships that really meant something to him.

"The trial is about to start again. Let's head back inside." Nasuada said tensely and turned to walk back briskly.

Murtagh watched her go with a heavy heart. What had he done? Oh fuck, what had he done?

"The next time you might not be as lucky, Murtagh." Thorn said and turned to walk away as well.

Murtagh cursed under his breath. Before he was even sure what was going on, he had punched the wall and suddenly found himself in his seat nursing a throbbing hand. Time seemed to be stuck in fast-forward. The next thing he knew, he was sitting back down and was watching as the spoke's person of the jury handed the verdict to the bailiff who 

in turn gave it to the judge. It was a very long list. Galbatorix would be getting all of his sentences within few minutes.

Trianna looked over the list before handing it back to the jury.

"Have the jury reached a verdict?" She called out.

"We have your honour." The spoke's person said and stood up, the list unrolled in her hands as she began to read. "In the case concerning Galbatorix King vs the people, we have found the defendant the following: drug trafficking; not guilty. Minor trafficking; guilty. The murders and liquidation of..."

Murtagh clenched his hands. A stab of pain shot up his arm and he hissed. He shook his head and was able to tune back in on the verdict.

"... guilty of conspiracy to the crime. The murders of Mrs Selena Rider and Mr Brom Teller; guilty of conspiracy to the crime. The murders of the ten young teenagers; guilty of murder in the first degree. The kidnapping and attempted murder of Mr Eragon Rider..." The woman gulped before she voiced the final verdict. "Guilty in the first degree."

Murtagh closed his eyes and sent a prayer of thanks to whatever God he could think of. They had won.

"Mr King will be moved to a high facility prison in Surda. This trial is over." Judge Trianna said and slammed her hammer into the table.

"Your honour, we plead the death penalty." Hrothgar barked out.

"It will be taken into consideration. There will however be no possibility of a bail."

Sloan started to protest, but Galbatorix was already being taken out of the room. Murtagh allowed himself to breathe out in relief. It was finally over.

_**(End Flashback)**_

* * *

While everything had gone their way, a lot of mistakes had been made that day. Murtagh just wanted to drown himself in a bottle of vodka, but knew he couldn't. He had been sober for nearly seven years now, a record he wasn't about to break.

A few minutes later he was by no means any calmer. Cursing, Murtagh stomped into the bedroom and put on a pair of sweats and a top. Then he grabbed a bag he always had ready next to his door, put on a pair of sneakers, and was out of the apartment.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(05.31 PM – Tuesday 23__rd__ of September. Inside the police gym in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh was panting mildly as he continued to punch and kick the suspended bag. He would have sparred with a person, but everyone seemed to stay clear of him ever since he had entered the gym. And that was saying something, since the only people inside of the gym were hardcore police officers.

As the time had passed, gradually it had been just him and a few others in the weight room left. Murtagh always made sure to know who was around him, and where they were. It was what had kept him alive during his teenage years.

The hazel eyed man let out an angry sound as he spun around and kicked the punching bag hard. It swung slightly around from the force of the blow. Murtagh leaned down and clutched his knees as his panting got louder. In the background he could hear thumping music that almost matched his quickened heartbeat.

"Why don't you pick at something on your own size?"

Murtagh sniggered. He looked up and brushed sweat from his face. If the choice was between the bag and Thorn, then the bag was actually more his size.

"Yeah? Or do you just want to kick the daylights out of me?" Murtagh drawled.

"I'd rather just kick the asshole out of you, but even I know that's a waste of time." Thorn said and curved his body into a semi-fighting position.

"Then why bother to challenge me?" Murtagh asked and took a step forward, shedding his hand-wrappings as he did so.

"Because I'm angry, and you're available." Thorn said simply and started to step backwards, towards the mats that had been laid out for those who didn't want to fight in the boxing ring.

"Likewise." Murtagh said and leaped forward with his arm drawn back.

Thorn sidestepped and jumped over to the mats. They had been reprimanded enough times for fighting out of the appointed area, and therefore too close to others, even though people never came within at least a few feet of them when they were fighting. The boxing ring had never been anything for them. They both preferred hand-to-hand combat and the feeling of causing raw pain with their bare hands.

Murtagh ducked away from a kick that would have sent him halfway across of the room and tried to land in a blow. Thorn tried to grasp onto that hand, probably to throw him into the nearest wall, but Murtagh retreated the hand and kicked Thorn's abdomen with all of his might. The red haired giant was pushed a few steps back.

"Not bad." Thorn said in a rough voice.

"You forgot that I took down Shruikan just three months ago." Murtagh said and crouched down to await the counter-attack.

"I didn't. But you were also more rested for that." Thorn smirked. "You're going to lose Morann, just you wait."

The dark haired brunet just smirked back. Not a second later Thorn was attacking.

A few blocks and near-hits later and Murtagh found himself falling and skidding into a stop on the hard floor. He nearly cried out from the pain, but only nearly. He jumped up with a smirk and ran over to continue the fight.

They both managed to land in several hits. Murtagh had found himself kicked and thrown into the wall many times and almost falling backwards from the forces of Thorn's blows. The redhead was not holding back. But Murtagh had managed to land in a few well-placed blows that were going to hurt like a bitch tomorrow, even though they hadn't been powerful enough to make Thorn fall. But he had managed twice so far to trip Thorn and nearly land in a second blow, but Thorn was too fast to let that happen.

Murtagh managed to hit Thorn's shin hard enough for the other to wobble. But before he could force the giant to the ground, Murtagh found himself hit with an open palm; something that often hurt more than it pushed someone away, and fell to the ground. He was only able to get himself to his knees before Thorn punched him hard enough to fall back down and skid a few feet across of the mat. Then he was still.

Murtagh could hear Thorn pant heavily. He allowed himself to still his breaths enough for it to seem like he was unconscious. It hurt, but he could breathe properly later. He closed his eyes and was only able to hear Thorn slowly approaching. Good, he wasn't totally buying his act. If Thorn had, then Murtagh would have been disappointed.

Thorn came to a stop about two steps away from him. Then he circled around him. Murtagh had to force himself to keep still. He had to wait for the perfect moment. And when Thorn came to stand behind his head, Murtagh found leverage on the mat with his elbows, pushed himself upwards, and managed to flip himself around enough to kick a surprised Thorn right in the chest with both of his legs. The redhead was pushed away and down to the floor. But Murtagh's flip had a side effect; he now found himself face down onto the floor and with an uncomfortable kink in his back. But it had all been worth it.

"That must have hurt you more than it did me." Thorn said dryly from his place on the floor.

Murtagh started to laugh loudly. He pushed himself back onto his back and continued to laugh.

"You're finally cracked, haven't you?" Thorn said and Murtagh heard more than he saw the other smack his head into the mat. "Perfect."

Even though he wasn't sure how, somehow his laughter became even louder. For some reason that made Murtagh laugh so hard he could barely breathe.

"Oy!" Thorn called out in an irritated tone.

Murtagh managed to quiet his laughter into sniggers, but he still found everything horribly funny. He got to his feet and brushed himself off. The redhead slowly approached him, his arms crossed over his feet.

"What? Can't you talk anymore?"

"No. A dragon took my tongue." Murtagh replied and smirked.

"Great. I'm dealing with a comedian." Thorn said and scowled.

"Wow, you really are pissed at me." The hazel eyed man said and started to massage his slightly aching back unconsciously. "I don't know if I should be proud or worried."

Thorn just answered with a glare.

"What? Do you want to kick my ass again?"

"It's a tempting thought." Thorn growled. "But I won't. The boss would have kicked my ass, then. Sadly."

"Ouch." Murtagh said and faked a wince. "It's nice to know people care about you."

Thorn's glare darkened.

"Whatever. Since I'm oh so wanted here, I'll take my leave." Murtagh said and slipped one of his hands into a pocket.

Thorn's glare followed him as he walked across the floor. The glare was still present even when he picked up his hand-wrappings and dumped them into the nearby trashcan. Murtagh picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder. Then he gave Thorn a parting nod before leaving the room. And as he walked down towards his car, Murtagh could almost still feel the glare on him.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(09.17 AM – Wednesday 24__th__ of September. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

He knew that someone was watching him as he put on a pair of large headphones and adjusted his protective glasses. There were few officers that came in this early, and Murtagh just knew that it wasn't anyone from the nightshift. Anyone that didn't know him personally would have left as soon as they had seen him. But at that moment he didn't care. He picked up the gun on the shelf before him and leaned back into his shooting position. Then he lifted the gun, let the room and the booth he was in melt away, and fired.

Even with the headphones on, a slight hint of the sound reached his ears. He felt the adrenaline run through him for a split second before he fired again. And so he continued until he had emptied the magazine of the gun.

Murtagh put the gun down and pressed the button that allowed the target he had been shooting at to be pulled towards him.

"You can come out now." He said dully and looked away from the moving target.

He could look at the paper later. At that moment he was too busy watching Nasuada step out of the viewing box inside of the shooting range.

"Hello, Murtagh." She said softly as she walked up towards him. "I see Thorn went to see you."

Murtagh snorted.

"These are nothing compared to the bruises he's given me before." He said and removed his glasses, putting them next to his headphones and gun.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you don't want to take a look at my chest." Murtagh said and smirked.

Nasuada sighed and shook her head.

"Now, why did I see that one coming?" She mumbled resigned.

"You just know us too well." Murtagh chuckled.

"At least you can admit that." She said and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I'm not a total loss. Well, not yet." The hazel eyed man said and smirked sadly.

"Murtagh, what's happening to you?" Nasuada asked in a quiet and worried voice.

Murtagh looked away from her eyes and over her shoulder. Nasuada slowly stepped forward and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I've got no idea. Isn't that funny?" He said and chuckled.

Nasuada frowned sadly.

"Well, you aren't making it any easier for yourself by acting like this." She practically whispered.

"I'm just acting like who I've become. Doesn't mean I like it." Murtagh said and raised an eyebrow.

"You need to snap out of it."

"Oh, I'm trying." He said and snorted.

"I've been thinking about something for a while." Nasuada said and bit her lip.

Murtagh raised an eyebrow again. He crossed his arms and waited.

"I'm not talking about getting into a relationship, but... have you considered fatherhood? Adopting." She said and folded her hands.

Murtagh blinked. Then he started to laugh.

"You must be joking. No sane person would allow me to adopt a kid. Besides, I don't have the time and neither do I have the wish to. The reason I've never fucked a woman is to reduce the chance of reproducing this fucked up gene my _beloved_ father passed onto me." Murtagh paused. "Well, that and they've just never done anything for me. I was a teenager once and I've tried out things left and right, but..."

Nasuada snorted.

"Yes, I quite remember that time of your life." She drawled.

"All I'm saying is that if I can't even function in a relationship, then how the hell am I supposed to take care of a kid?" He shook his head. "No way."

"Well, it was just a thought."

"And a strange thought at that." Murtagh drawled.

"What thoughts aren't strange?" Nasuada said and smirked.

Murtagh sniggered. He leaned onto the wall separating his shooting booth from the one next to it.

"True." He said.

"I've missed this." The black haired female said softly. "Why can't you be like this a little more often?"

Murtagh tilted his head and looked at his target by sheer coincidence. He stared at it and felt his mouth become a thin line.

"I guess I'm not that guy anymore."

Nasuada looked away from the target and sighed. Murtagh had to admit he was a bit impressed himself. He hadn't shot that well in a long time. The bullets that hadn't hit the centre had hit close to it or within the edge of the ten-point circle.

"I can see that." She murmured softly. "But I hope you can find him again someday."

"... I hope so too." Murtagh said tensely.

* * *

**A/N** This was one helluva chapter to write. Everything just screeched into a halt during the Eragon/Murtagh meeting. And if it hadn't been for my beta, I would have still been sitting there and cursing at the screen. Seriously.

Chapter five marks a new beginning in Murtagh's life, really. Galbatorix is officially going behind bars, possibly for life. He no longer has to worry like he used to. Murtagh's also in a place where he's beginning to see who he has become, and it's up to him if he's willing to change it. But no matter what he does, the future is going to be tough for him.

And I need apologize for the fight scene in this. I'm sure it, well, sucked. But at this stage Thorn is furious at Murtagh 24/7, and it was only a matter of time before he cracked. And really, if you think this is the end... future events are going to shock you. Also, these two, if you read closely enough, have a record of sparring with each other. This time they just got a little rougher than normal, hehe.

Btw, the scene Murtagh's remembering when he meets Eragon is the first part of chapter four in _RH_.

I forgot to mention this in the previous chapter, so I'll do it here. The lie detector I'm using in this fandom is made up by yours truly. There is no such thing as a lie detector that can determine if you're lying or not while speaking actual sentences. The one police use today is still the one where you answer either "yes" or "no". But to be able to catch Galbatorix I wanted to use a different one. The real lie detector would be too easy for him to crack, seriously.

I know I have said this before, but I feel like I should repeat it, especially now. I love to write, I really do. But if I fail just one test this semester, I can kiss finishing my first year goodbye. This means that I need to prioritize school. I have managed to write a bit when my schedule allows me, but it's not nearly enough for me to be able to update every week. Also, I have a rule: I don't allow myself to update without having at least one finished chapter that I can fall back on if anything should go wrong. This means that I'll be able to update monthly, but probably not more often than that. I truly am sorry for this, since I love writing and being active on FFnet, but my personal life comes first, especially in a time like this.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

**Police Speak:**

_SWAT_ – (in my story) police agents that make sure the coast is clear for the "normal" cops to move in

_Defendant_ - the person that's been put up for trial

_Technicians_ – (in his chapter) someone that monitors the lie detector and tells the rest of the court what it says

_Liquidation_ – the act of mutilating corpses

_Conspiracy to the crime –_ Galbatorix wasn't actually present and didn't kill the victims (e.g. Selena and Brom), but he has been found guilty of having helped planned the crimes

_Murder in the first degree_ – the highest punishment you can get. It's often called Murder One on TV. Murder in the first degree means premeditated; that you've planned and executed the crime. If you are found guilty of this, it's most likely that you get either a life time in prison or the death penalty. (Note: I've taken this from the American justice system. There are many variables in the US since every state has its own way of defining these punishments, but I've taken what is close to the justice system that I'm familiar with)


	6. Mission

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the sixth part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and ask you all to once again buckle up, and keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride. You may proceed to yell at the author after the ride is over.

A huge thanks to everyone who still reads and reviews. It really warms my heart to come home after school and see a review or two waiting for me. A final thanks to my beta **dragonrider713**, cos she rocks!

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Six; Mission**

_(07.48 PM – Friday 3__rd__ of October. Inside of the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

It was all over the news. Murtagh could still hear it on repeat in his head. _The infamous gang leader Galbatorix King has been given the death penalty._ It had been decided late last night. Murtagh had gotten the news from his boss the minute he had come in for work in the morning. The next thing he had done was turn on the news. He could still hear the newscaster's voice in his head. _King has finally been caught. The people in __Alagaësia can sleep peacefully at last._

They were all fools. While _the Forsworn_ had lost its leader, there were still faithful members out there. Murtagh wouldn't sleep peacefully until Galbatorix had been strapped to the chair and given the needle. While he wasn't a supporter of death penalty, Murtagh believed that it was nothing more than Galbatorix deserved.

Murtagh sighed. Night was dawning outside as he sat inside of his office. He hadn't even bothered to turn on the light when he had sat down almost an hour ago. He did his best thinking in the dark, and there were a few things he needed to do at the station before going home, so he had to make do with what he had.

The dark haired man looked down at his desk. On it laid a couple of new case files. The twins were due to be put up for trial in just a few short days, and Murtagh knew that it would be on the evening news along with an interview with the Police Chief. He also knew that the Police attorney would plead for the twins to be sentenced to death as well, but to give them the chair. Murtagh shuddered to think what drugs the twins had been exposed to. It could, though he wasn't sure how, be dangerous to give them the toxin that was supposed to stop their heart. Murtagh knew what kind of drugs Galbatorix had given to his most loyal or least loyal crew; and the line between them was thin. To be sure the sentence had its desired effect; Murtagh had advised Hrothgar to plead for the chair instead.

Murtagh stood slowly and gathered the papers. He put them into a neat pile on top of his desk and picked up his bag. Slowly he reached into it and pulled out all the files in it except one. He then laid them on top of the other ones. Then Murtagh closed the bag and put it into his chair. He then started to button up his shirt as he walked across the room. He closed the door behind himself and started to walk towards a door he had always dreaded walking inside and knew he always would. He stopped outside of it and knocked.

"Come in."

So much for hoping she wasn't in. Murtagh pursed his lips and opened the door. The woman behind the desk looked up. Her grey eyes widened in surprise.

"Hello, Murtagh." She said softly.

Murtagh smiled grimly. He closed the door and remained standing no more than a foot into the room. The woman before him brushed a piece of dark blonde hair behind her ear. The plate on the desk glimmered softly where the light hit it. Murtagh had read it enough times to know what it said by heart.

"By all means, sit down." She said and folded her hands.

Murtagh sat down stiffly, his eyes never leaving the other as he did so. His eyes flickered briefly over to the nameplate before meeting hers again. _Angela Victh, Police Psychiatrist._

"What can I do for you?" Angela asked kindly.

"I want to talk."

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(10.26 AM – Monday 6__th__ of October. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

The station was buzzing with life. Ever since the trial with Galbatorix, everything seemed to be a little less tense. People seemed more energetic even though they remained serious... Well, the most of them remained serious.

"Do you think he actually grew a pair of balls and went to bang Eragon?" Aksel asked loudly as he swirled around in his chair.

The team was seated inside of their briefing room, and the only ones that weren't present where Murtagh and Ajihad. Even Arya was there, since she no longer had to watch over Eragon. But both he and Saphira were sure to be on guard for a long time. Arya had made sure to lecture them about how they would be safe without a guard to watch over them.

Thorn snorted in answer.

"I agree with Thorn. Nothing short of a miracle would make Murtagh willingly go near Eragon." Nasuada said and sighed.

"Then why isn't he here?" Aksel said and grabbed onto the table to stop the chair's movement.

Where he had found that particular chair was a mystery to the rest of the team.

"I haven't been able to get a hold of him all weekend." Nasuada said softly and shook her head.

"He hasn't been home." Thorn said with a frown. "I've checked in on him regularly. He isn't avoiding us."

"And how do you know that?" Vanir asked with a yawn.

"I made him give me the spare key ages ago. I made sure to actually check if he wasn't inside hiding." Thorn said dryly.

Vanir just rolled his eyes.

"I can't remember him having done this before." Arya said in a near-whisper and bit her lip. "Where could he be?"

"He hasn't, not even when he was a teenager." Thorn said tensely. "He always lets me know where he is when he knows I'll go looking for him."

"This isn't good." Arya said and stood up. "I'm checking his office."

"There's no need of that. He isn't there."

The team turned around to look at the newly arrived figure. Ajihad sighed tiredly and put down the pile of documents and files he had been carrying.

"This was the only thing I found in there." He said and shook his head.

"What?" Nasuada murmured softly as she began to look over the pile. "But this is -"

"Every case we're currently working on, along with a few others that he's assisted in other departments. They all have a sheet of notes attached to them." Ajihad said and crossed his arms.

Thorn stood up so fast that his chair that it made a screeching sound as it skidded across of the floor.

"He's gone, isn't he?" Thorn stated more than he asked.

"I found this on his desk along with these files." Ajihad said and pulled out an envelope from his jacket pocket. "It's a request for a leave of absence. It has a signed recommendation by our psychiatrist in it as well."

"WHAT?!" Nasuada and Arya shrieked loudly.

Aksel fell off his chair while Vanir closed his eyes and shook his head. Thorn scowled at the floor. His posture remained stiff as he obviously tried to calm himself down.

"He has taken out every sick day and vacation time he's ever worked up and says that he'll return when he desires to." The Captain said sombrely.

"That's a lot of days." Aksel piped up. "I've heard a rumour that he's never -"

"He has never taken a sick day or gone on a vacation since he started to work here." Ajihad confirmed.

"He could be gone for a year and still have time saved up." Thorn said tensely.

"So, he has truly left us?" Nasuada asked meekly.

"He'll be back." A calmer female voice answered.

Angela stepped into the room with her hands folded before her. She didn't look affected by the tense atmosphere at all.

"He came to see me on Friday. He didn't tell me what he was going to do, but I could see it." She sighed. "I bumped into him yesterday morning and gave him my recommendation. That man is broken, he needs time to heal."

"He came in on a Sunday?" Arya asked in a surprised voice.

"And during a time he knew that the Captain would be the only one present of your team." Angela confirmed. "I'm sure he'll be in touch soon."

They all watched her leave with different looks on their faces. Thorn's was the most obvious one. He was furious.

"That bastard." Thorn growled.

Murtagh had actually left them. When Thorn saw him again, he was going to pay.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(04.13 PM – Monday 6__th__ of October. Outside of Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon breathed in the fresh air outside and wrapped his jacket tighter around himself. Ever since he had woken up he had felt that something had happened, or that he had forgotten something. But when nothing had come to mind all day, he had simply brushed it off.

"Eragon!"

Ah, there was what he had forgotten. The brunet shook his head and waited for the other to catch up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Saphira asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Home?" He said sheepishly.

"You had totally forgotten about me, hadn't you?" Saphira said and giggled.

"Guilty." Eragon smirked.

The blue eyed female rolled her eyes and punched him playfully. Eragon let out a small laugh as he mock-rubbed his arm. Saphira grinned and hooked her arm in his.

"So, what'd you think of today's class?"

Eragon sighed.

"I missed you a lot. Damn you for taking another class." He said and mock-growled.

"You can't always get what you want." Saphira said and grinned innocently.

They stopped to wait for the light to change. Around them the nature was slowly showing signs of the approaching autumn. The air tended to be almost unusually cold during the mornings, resulting in a lot of students brining warm coats that they took off when they went home, the cold temperature being long gone by then.

"Saph... can I ask you something?" He waited for her to nod before continuing. "I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"Your birthday maybe?" Saphira said and smirked. "It is coming up."

Eragon blinked in shock. She was right.

"How the hell did I forget my own birthday?!"

Saphira suddenly became unusually quiet. The silence spoke more than a thousand words. He knew, she knew... that reason had a name that Eragon would rather forget than use again.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Aksel will throw you a party big enough for you to forget your own age." The blonde said and dragged him towards the bus bench.

"Oh fuck, I'm growing old." Eragon moaned in despair.

"Oh, shush you." Saphira snorted. "You're only turning twenty. You'll still be a teenager... ish, for another year."

"Old, I tell you. _Old_!" The brunet moaned even louder.

Saphira rolled her eyes and smacked him in the back of his head.

"I'm surrounded by morons." She whispered as she shook her head.

"My line." Eragon pointed out and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, right." Saphira smirked. "I'd like to see you claim it."

Before Eragon could retort, he was cut off. Saphira jumped slightly when her phone suddenly started to ring. She blushed. Obviously she, like many others, had forgotten to put it on silent before going to class.

"Saphira here." She said cheerfully as she answered the phone. "Thorn?"

Eragon frowned. Her tone had suddenly gone from cheerful to worried. Something was wrong.

"What's going on?" Saphira asked worriedly.

Eragon watched as her eyes widened in shock. Her mouth opened slightly before she snapped it shut.

"Are you sure?" She murmured softly. "... Alright. What do you want me to do?"

The brunet blinked when her gaze suddenly was focused on him.

"Does he need to be there for that?" She asked even more softly.

Eragon's frown darkened. He didn't doubt that he wasn't going to like what she was about to tell him.

"... Okay." Saphira sighed dejectedly. "We'll come by around six. We just need to stop by our place first."

Eragon watched her say goodbye to her boyfriend before she closed her phone. Saphira bit her lip and stayed silent. The bus came then, hindering Eragon from asking what was going on. They got on and easily found available seats in the nearly empty bus. Eragon allowed his friend to sit down closest to the window and waited until the bus was rolling before turning to her.

"What's going on?"

"Something has happened. Thorn wants us to come down and watch a tape with him." Saphira said and gazed firmly out of the window.

"What has happened?" Eragon pressed on.

If Saphira was avoiding the issue, then something was seriously wrong.

"I'll tell you later. But first we're going to the station to watch that tape." Saphira said firmly and put the conversation to an end.

The brunet crossed his arms and leaned back into his seat. A shiver ran down his spine. Oh yeah, he wasn't going to like this one bit.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(05.52 PM – Monday 6__th__ of October. Inside of the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Thorn was beyond angry, beyond pissed even; he was livid. He couldn't believe it. He had gone to Murtagh's place just to make sure, and what had he found? He had found a note addressed to him where Murtagh had simply said that he needed some time alone and that he'd be in touch. Thorn had crumpled that note and had been tempted to set it on fire. **Damn** that man!

When he had come back to the station, Ajihad had gathered the team and presented them with a tape that an agent had dropped on his desk not long after Thorn had left. The Captain had explained to them that Murtagh had made sure to do as much as he could before leaving. Then Ajihad had asked Thorn to call Saphira and get her and Eragon down to the station ASAP. There was something on that tape he wanted them to see.

The two students had arrived just before six. Arya had met them in the reception and had led them into the briefing room. When Saphira had seen him, she had instantly run over to Thorn's side. Eragon had followed reluctantly. Aksel had been more than happy to pat his shoulder comfortingly. But Eragon had just looked confused. Whatever Vanir had whispered to Aksel next must have done the trick, since the blond had coughed awkwardly and simply laughed it off.

Now the whole team and the two civilians were gathered around a TV. Ajihad had told the team beforehand that he had watched it, but that he was going to be present nonetheless.

Thorn leaned back into his seat and felt Saphira do the same beside him. Eragon, who was seated beside Saphira, stiffened. Thorn really felt for the kid. And by doing so, his anger towards Murtagh just got stronger. He forced down a growl and turned his attention to the screen.

"_Date; the 6__th__ of October, 2008. Time; 11.36 AM. The interviewers present are Sergeant Murtagh Morann and Detective Orrin Surda. The prisoners are Mr and Mr Khimera."_

Thorn recognized that voice as Orrin's. But his real focus was on the picture that had come to live on the screen. Before them sat two nearly identical males. The only difference between them was the slight height differential and the different head tattoos. Two police officers were hidden just in the corner of the shot. But on the other side of the table sat the redhead Thorn knew as Orrin. And beside Orrin was Murtagh. And Murtagh did not look pleased.

"_I'm so glad you both agreed to participate in this interview."_ Murtagh said nastily. _"And you're sure you don't want a lawyer present?"_

The twins nodded their heads in tandem. It was almost creepy to watch.

"_Alright. Then I'm sure you know why you're here."_ Murtagh smirked. _"Your dear boss is finished. He's going to be put down like the animal he is. He will no longer be able to protect you. Now, why don't you explain what the fuck he wanted you to do? Maybe there is something there that makes it worth saving your pathetic asses?"_

Thorn had to smirk. Orrin was looking defeated and annoyed all at once. But he had yet to say one word during the actual questioning.

On screen the twins blinked. Thorn had to admit that that was creepy. The younger twin looked more openly worried than the other. It was a little strange that the older one hadn't immediately become the dominant one during the killings after Galbatorix had been caught, as it seemed like the younger twin was more submissive. But then again, when acting out on orders from Galbatorix, Thorn wasn't surprised if they had done as told without blinking.

"_No?"_ Murtagh said as he leaned onto the table. _"Alright. But know that you won't receive any kinder treatment. We'll be pleading for the death penalty."_

The older twin frowned. Murtagh smirked at him and stood up. He opened his mouth to address the other officer, but never got that far.

"_... What do you want?"_

"_As I said before, I want you to tell us what Galbatorix planned to do with Eragon Rider."_ Murtagh said coldly. _"It can't hurt your case. And Galbatorix has already confessed that he had a hand in the plan to terrorize Rider again, so you aren't betraying your boss... much."_

The twins sneered at him. For a minute Thorn doubted that they'd talk.

"_He wanted us to kidnap Rider and leave the other boy to be discovered as his corpse."_ The younger twin said sourly.

"_Thank you, we guessed that."_ Murtagh said and smacked his tongue. _"What... well, what went wrong? Something must have."_

The older twin narrowed his eyes.

"_We were to kidnap Rider on his way to school."_ He said darkly.

"_But he never showed up."_ Murtagh said and smirked. _"What happened next? We did after all find that body."_

"_He was already dead."_ The older twin said with a sadistic smirk. _"There was nothing we could do but to leave him there."_

"_After all that time with old Galbatorix, and you jumped the gun? Killed him before you had secured Rider's capture? How amateur of you."_ Murtagh said and tsk'ed.

"_We planned to capture him in his home, but he was gone when we got there."_ The younger twin continued.

"_I suspect he had already gotten the call that he had been found dead by then."_ Murtagh shook his head. _"Then what? You decided to hide until... what? You got another chance to capture him? I should hope not. Galbatorix would have long since been prosecuted and sent to jail by then and Rider would no longer hold any value to the old bastard."_

"_There was a bribed guard guarding King. King would have escaped once Rider was in our hands."_ The older twin said with a grin.

Murtagh scowled. He looked ready to kill them both, and Orrin looked ready to jump up and hold him back. But the hazel eyed man simply breathed out and calmed himself down.

"_So basically you fucked up? I expected more from you two."_ Murtagh snorted. _"You got too eager with the boy you were supposed to be guarding, and tortured and killed him too soon. Then you forgot to check Rider's schedule to make sure he was even supposed to come in on that day. And then you tried to find another way to kidnap Rider, but by then he was too heavily guarded and we later managed to capture your sorry asses, so your plan was ruined. Is that what you're saying?"_

The twins grinned sadistically.

"_Yes."_ They replied in tandem.

"_Only sadists would reply like that. Honestly, you put in the words _kill _and _torture_ and they agree right away."_ Murtagh sighed and stood up. _"Thank you gentlemen, you've been most cooperative. We'll be sure to mention it to the judge. Maybe you'll be able to get a few more days in prison before you're fried?"_

The twins had the gall to look surprised.

"_I never said we were going to drop the death penalty if you talked."_ Murtagh said and grinned. _"Enjoy our holding cells. Your trial is just a few days away."_

"_Guards, take them away."_ Orrin said and waved off-screen to the guards that had been placed there.

Thorn held his breath. Ajihad had told the team that Murtagh had forgotten the tape and had let it run a little longer than necessary. He wondered what Murtagh could have said to Orrin, someone he only knew on a work-related basis.

"_Interview terminated at 12.04 PM."_ Orrin said stiffly and moved to turn off the recorder.

"_You thought I was too hard with them."_ Murtagh commented as he gathered up a few papers that obviously hadn't been of any use.

Orrin stiffened. He turned around, his figure seeming much larger than Murtagh due to him being closer to the camera.

"_I thought you were being no better than them, Morann."_ Orrin replied gruffly.

"_Oh, come now."_ Murtagh drawled. _"To get a proper answer out of guys like this, you have to talk their language."_

"_You seemed quite fluent in it."_ Orrin commented coldly.

Murtagh just rolled his eyes. Orrin must have forgotten the camera by now, since he walked a little forward to address the other more face-to-face.

"_I have a question."_ He said neutrally. _"From what I understood, both of them were submissive to Galbatorix during the previous killings. I could clearly see the dominant twin of them. Why didn't he become the leader when Galbatorix was put away?"_

Murtagh looked at the other from behind his long hair.

"_You are correct; when Galbatorix pulled the strings they were both submissive to him. However, they were acting on orders that Galbatorix had given them. And after being together for so long, they had learned to kill and torture as one being. That is why we were unable to distinguish the second marks from the first before we found out that we were looking for twins."_ Murtagh paused and straightened up. _"While Galbatorix wasn't actually there, they were acting on his orders. And when they go too eager, they acted too soon and fucked up the whole plan."_

"_I'm with you so far."_ Orrin said and crossed his arms. _"But why didn't the other twin take the command later? He could have easily had them both disappear below ground forever."_

"_When it comes to Galbatorix, there's either to obey or die."_ Murtagh said coldly. _"So when they realised their mistake, they tried their best to correct it. With Galbatorix as your boss, you'll do everything to right a wrong before he can notice it. Or you'll wish you were dead. No one escapes from that man."_

"_You did."_

Murtagh stiffened.

"_I'm the exception that confirms the rule."_ He said calmly. _"And I had help. Besides, if you ever get away from him physically, I can guarantee that you'll never be able to get away from him mentally."_

Orrin remained silent.

"_If you have any other question, talk to Detective Elve. And turn of that bloody camera, would you?"_

They were just able to see Murtagh exiting the room on the screen before it went black. Ajihad walked forward and turned off the TV.

"This morning I found a letter on Murtagh's desk." He said sombrely. "The lab just confirmed it; he was the one that wrote it. I brought you two down here Saphira and Eragon to tell you that Murtagh has left. He's taken a leave of absence and not even I know when he'll return."

Thorn saw the raw shock on Eragon's face. Saphira closed her eyes and shook her head softly.

"What?!" Eragon exclaimed. "But I... I talked to him just two weeks ago! He was fine! Weird, but fine!"

"I know." Ajihad mumbled sadly. "None of us were able to foresee this. He just left."

"But he was far from fine." Nasuada said softly. "He's in a lot of pain right now. He doesn't know what to do with himself anymore. Whatever path he has forced himself to walk down; he's lost a part of himself in the process. Maybe a more important part than he realises."

Eragon clenched his eyes shut. It pained Thorn to see him like that. Saphira leaned over and murmured something into his ear, but the brunet just shook his head harshly and whispered something back. If possible, whatever Eragon had said had made Saphira look even more worried.

"We don't even know where he went." Thorn said gruffly and glared at the wall before him.

Someone was going to get an angry voicemail later that day, Thorn would see to that.

"This isn't your fault, Eragon." Arya said kindly.

"Of course it's not my fault." Eragon said stiffly. "But I certainly didn't help matters either."

"Eragon, your run-in with Murtagh had nothing to do with this." Saphira said firmly. "He could have been planning this for a long time, for all we know."

"What exactly happened during that run-in?" Arya asked with a small frown on her face.

"We argued, yelled at each other... I told him that I didn't know if I could be around him if he continued to be the bastard he was..." Eragon's voice trailed off and he became almost impossibly pale. "Oh fuck, no."

"Even if you got him thinking, it wasn't you that pulled the trigger, so to speak." Nasuada said and winced at her own choice of words. "Murtagh spoke to our psychiatrist not long before he upped and left. Something that she said or made him realise must have done something to make him want to leave. But we can't blame her either. This has been building up for a long time. Who knows, maybe this will turn out to be the thing that mends him?"

Thorn sighed. For Murtagh's sake, this break had better be what was going to mend him. Or the redhead would hunt him down and kill him with his bare hands.

"But he's really gone?" Eragon whispered.

"Yes." Thorn replied.

But if he had any say in it, Thorn would make sure Murtagh wouldn't stay gone for too long.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(11.48 PM – Monday 6__th__ of October. Somewhere in Alagaësia.)_

A figure put the key into the door and unlocked it. He pushed it open and slipped inside. There he took off his jacket and shoes before padding into the room itself. His luggage stood at the end of the bed that had seen better days. A change of clothes had been thrown into the chair and was nearly falling onto the floor. The figure sighed and threw himself onto the bed. It creaked below him.

A few minutes passed. Slowly the figure reached out and picked up his phone from the bedside table. He flicked it open and dialled a number.

"_You have... 2 new messages._" The metallic voice informed him mock-cheerfully.

The figure scowled. He closed his phone before the voice even got a chance to tell him which numbers to press to hear or delete the messages. He sighed loudly and placed the phone back onto the table. He would save those messages for another day.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(05.52 PM – Tuesday 14__th__ of October. Inside of the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh had been gone for over a week. Inside the homicide department it was impossible to overlook his absence. And even though many would think it would be a huge relief to get rid of all that brooding, the team was beginning to sorely miss him.

Thorn seemed to almost have taken Murtagh's place; being irritated and snappy more often than he was not. Nasuada was noticeably quieter. Even Arya was mostly unable to engage her in any real conversation. Ajihad had become quieter as well, but in a different way. Nasuada seemed sad while her father seemed more thoughtful. Ajihad would often get lost in his own thoughts, and when he was brought back, he would often have a mournful look on his face. Vanir didn't speak one ill word of their missing Sergeant, though the team suspected that it was Aksel's glare that kept him silent. And Aksel just continued to try to bring some humour into their slowly darkening days, though he wasn't as enthusiastic anymore.

But the one who had taken Murtagh's disappearance the hardest was Eragon. Saphira hated to see how he had become. She had gotten him to talk over exactly what had happened during their run-in, and Saphira hadn't liked what she had heard. Murtagh had obviously already been on his way to break. She had by mistake mentioned smoking to Thorn and the redhead had almost punched in a wall. Saphira made sure not to mention the hazel eyed man and smoking in the same sentence again.

Saphira bit her lip as she walked down the hallway. Eragon was beside her. The other trial had occurred the day before, and they were still waiting for a sentence. Eragon had been unable to set foot into the court room, and the blonde couldn't blame him. The last time hadn't been a very pleasant occurrence after all.

Saphira was brushing a piece of hair away from her eyes when she noticed that Eragon was no longer beside her. She turned around.

"Eragon?"

His mouth was stretched into a thin line. She slowly walked over to him and directed her gaze in the direction Eragon was looking. She sighed softly.

"Come on, the team's waiting for us." She whispered.

The brunet slowly allowed himself to be pulled away. His gaze wouldn't leave the door on the other side of the hallway. Saphira tore her eyes away from it and continued to lead her friend away from the lobby. The sooner they got to the briefing room, the better.

"Ah, there you are." Ajihad said softly. "Please, sit down."

Saphira smiled softly and sat down beside Thorn. Eragon sat down almost mechanically into the chair next to her. She reached over and grabbed his hand. It remained lax in her grip. Saphira pushed away the worry for the moment; she could talk to her friend later.

"It looks promising. We're hoping to get capital punishment, and with the evidence we've collected and presented it's going to take a lot for the trial not to go our way." Ajihad paused and sighed. "But there is no reason to celebrate just yet. Things can still happen."

"At least we've gotten King behind bars." Thorn said in a rough voice.

"We've made sure that there are no inmates in that prison that we can link to Galbatorix. Anyone who was has been moved to a different high security prison." Ajihad said and buried his head in his hands. "We can't afford to make any mistakes when it comes to him."

"Where's that asshole when we need him?" Thorn growled under his breath.

Saphira bit her lip harder. She knew that his comment hadn't gone unheard, and not just when it concerned her. The grip on her hand had finally tightened.

"When's he sentenced to hang?" Vanir asked emotionlessly.

Saphira shot him a look. He had been surprisingly quiet during the meetings she had been in. She wondered why.

"In far too long." Ajihad said gruffly. "Five years."

"What?!" Arya said coldly. "How could the judge make such a decision?? Galbatorix is a dangerous criminal, he needs to hang now!"

"All death row prisoners are given a chance to live a number of years behind bars before they get their punishment. Such is our law." The Captain said gravely. "Galbatorix _only_ got five years because he's too dangerous."

"He could escape during that time-frame." Arya said and her mouth stretched into a thin line. "Who knows how many followers he has outside of prison?"

"Morann would know." Thorn replied coldly.

"Figures that the asshole isn't here, then." Aksel said and pursed his lips. "He didn't leave more notes behind?"

"We've searched the entire office. There's nothing more left." Ajihad said and shook his head. "Everything he ever collected was sent to me and arrived at my desk the day after we noticed that he was gone."

"Damnit." Aksel said grumpily.

Saphira met Aksel's gaze. The other blond shook his head sadly and gave her a tired grin.

"We've tried to get a hold of him multiple times, but he won't answer his phone." Nasuada said quietly.

Saphira almost jumped. It was the first time she had heard her speak in quite a while.

"He was never good at answering his bloody phone." Thorn said almost fondly.

"Look at us, talking about him like he's dead." Vanir said and stood up. "I'm going to go and check out Galbatorix's known associates. Maybe we can link someone new to him."

"And then what?" Thorn growled.

"Maybe we can up Morann's chance of surviving out there alone." Vanir said stiffly and turned to walk away. "I might not have liked the guy, but he's still my superior."

Saphira jumped and quickly directed her gaze away from Vanir, who had just walked out of the room, and to Eragon. He looked horribly pale and was staring quite heatedly at the floor. She leaned over.

"Eragon, are you alright?"

Eragon just blinked. He continued to stare at the floor and didn't answer.

"Nonetheless, we need to be a lookout for more_ Forsworn_ members. People always act up during trials like these." Ajihad suddenly looked very old and tired. "During King's trial we stopped ten attempts on the first day alone to break in or break the old man out."

"I'll up the security on the twins." Aksel said and almost stalked out of the room.

"I'll go and check how the lab's doing with the evidence Morann left behind for us." Arya said and calmly walked out of the room.

Nasuada simply stood up and followed her, but not before giving Saphira a parting glance. Thorn just leaned back into his seat and groaned out loud.

"Aksel's beginning to act a bit too much like his partner." He said gruffly. "This whole team is falling apart!"

"Not yet." Ajihad said and stood up. "We'll manage just fine without Morann, once this all blows over. But until the day he comes back, yes, there will be a hole that we can't replace."

Saphira sighed and fully turned to her friend now that the meeting was over.

"Eragon?" She said quietly and reached out to touch his shoulder.

The brunet let go of her hand. He stood up and walked out of the room, almost like a ghost. It hurt Saphira to see him walk away. He almost didn't act like Eragon anymore.

"How bad is he?" Thorn asked now that they were alone.

The blue eyed girl turned around and threw herself into Thorn's arms. She buried her head into his chest and sighed.

"Horrible. I know he said that he doesn't blame himself, but I think he does. He isn't acting like himself at all."

Thorn started to run a hand softly through her hair.

"I've tried talking to him, but he won't answer me. I don't know what to do! I've tried to tell him again and again that Murtagh didn't run because of him, but it's like talking to a ghost." Saphira sobbed.

"What did Eragon say to Murtagh that day? Murtagh certainly didn't tell me." Thorn said and rubbed a hand over her back comfortingly.

"He said that he wasn't sure if he could love who Murtagh had become." Saphira whispered softly.

She felt the redhead stiffen and heard him curse under his breath.

"The kid actually said that he loved Murtagh?"

Saphira nodded.

"Well, I'll be damned." Thorn laughed harshly. "No wonder Eragon thinks he ran. But this isn't Eragon's fault. It's the same that happened the first time Murtagh ran. He saw an opportunity and he took it. Back then, it was his father's death that gave him the opportunity to escape. Now, when he believes that Eragon no longer holds any affection for him, I think he felt that he could run with a clear conscious."

"Will he come back?" The blonde murmured softly, feeling more than a little scared of hearing the answer.

"Yes. This is his home now." Thorn paused. "But I don't know when, and I don't know if he'll still be the same bastard, or if he'll have regained his senses. But I'll tell you this; tell Eragon to move on. Murtagh's too deep into denial now. I doubt he'll ever get out of it."

Saphira tightened her grip on Thorn's shirt and clenched her eyes shut. Never had the world seemed so dark.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(06.10 PM – Tuesday 14__th__ of October. Inside of the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon walked away from the door and down the hall. He closed his eyes and let the conversation run over in his head. So, it was true then. He had actually done something to make Murtagh run. He had been right.

He had been a little unsure in the beginning. But then Eragon had remembered. Murtagh hadn't been himself that day, not at all. At the end he had seemed so desperate, though he couldn't understand why. Now the brunet was beginning to see why.

Eragon came to stop outside a door. He slowly reached out and grabbed the handle. It gave under below his hand and he slipped inside. Eragon closed the door and looked around in the darkness around him. He felt the wall until his hand met the switch and the light came on.

It looked empty, almost hauntingly so. It actually looked abandoned. There was only an old cup with a stain of old coffee that spoke of someone actually having been in it. Eragon walked around in the room, looking at the two trophies on the wall before he walked around the desk. It was empty besides a pen and an empty file on the surface. Eragon sat down in the chair almost gingerly and leaned back.

If he closed his eyes tightly enough, he could almost see the room before him with Murtagh working inside of it. The image was so clear that he could almost have sworn it was real. Eragon snapped his eyes open and sighed. There was no one there but himself. He shook his head and looked down at the floor. His brown gaze wandered over to the desk drawers. He reached out and pulled them open one by one. In the bottom drawer he found something. He picked it up.

The brunet felt his eyes widen when he recognized what it was. It was a photo, of him at that! Either it had fallen out of a file or Murtagh had kept it. Eragon wasn't sure which scenario he preferred.

"You're a bastard, I hope you know that." Eragon spoke quietly into the empty room.

He shook his head and put the photo back into the drawer and closed it. Then he got to his feet and walked out of the room. He had found what he was looking for.

Eragon shook his head and wondered if closure was supposed to hurt so much.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(10.28 PM – Friday 17__th__ of October. Somewhere in Alagaësia.)_

He was sitting on his bed with his phone resting on the bedside table. He hadn't been able to look away from it for almost an hour now. He clenched his eyes shut and rubbed his face tiredly. Slowly the man got up and towered over the small device. He reached out and pressed a button. A hollow tone sounded inside the room. Then he pressed a short number.

"_You have... 5 new messages. Press 1 to hear. Press 2 to save. Press 3 to delete._" The metallic voice told him cheerfully.

The man hesitated before pressing a button.

"_Message one, received on-_"

He ran two hands through his hair before he started to pace. The first message was from his shrink. He didn't need to hear it; he knew what she was wanted to say. He'd seen her enough times to know what she had to say. The second message was from his boss. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to ignore the pain. Well, at least he hadn't gotten fired.

"_Message three; received at 09.36 PM on the 7__th__ of October, 2008._" He froze and waited for the message to begin. "_You absolute bastard. I can't believe you did this._"

The man laughed bitterly. Of course it was **him**, who else would call him that?

"_When you come back, I'm kicking your ass. Do you have any idea what the fuck you've just done?!_" The message screamed at him. "_We had to give the kid the news. How did you think he was going to take it, huh? You jackass._"

The man flinched. Alright, he had deserved that.

"_This self-sacrificing shit has got to stop. You need to get over this, man._" The speaker paused. "_If the kid is permanently emotionally damaged after this, I'm going to kill you. If there's anything left for me to kill after Saphira's through with you, that is. A simple _'_move on, I'll never get my head out of my ass' would have been better than this. Because you know what you're doing right? You're running... again. It is the only fucking thing you've always been fucking good at doing._"

The man glared at the device. Now, that had been uncalled for. He had his own reasons, damnit!

"_But whatever. I know that a bastard can't change its spots. Just... call back every once in a while, you hear me? Or I swear to God, I'll track you down and pluck you apart, piece by piece._"

He could imagine the sound of the phone slamming down at the other end. He shook his head and sat down heavily.

"_Message four; received at -_"

"Oh, get over with it." The man snapped at the phone.

He had become impatient now.

"_Murtagh? I... I don't know what to say. I know this doesn't have anything to do with what I said the other day, but you always know how to make us wonder._"

Murtagh flinched again. He hated making people worried, especially **her**.

"_You could at least have given us a heads-up. But I suppose you didn't want to be stopped..._" She paused. "_Just, please let us know you're alright. We're worried about you. It's been a few days since we last saw you. Hell, I can tell that even Therr's worried._"

He winced at the sound of her forced laughter.

"_Just... call me back sometime. Please._"

Murtagh breathed out. Only one message left.

"_... October, 2008._" A small beep sounded before the message began. "_..."_

He frowned at the phone. There was nothing there. Had someone called the wrong number? Hardly... then who was hesitating to leave him a message?

"_... Why am I doing this?_" Murtagh leaned forward.

Whoever had called was whispering. He sat up and walked over to the bed.

"_... I..._" Another pause. "_I can't do this._"

Murtagh frowned when the message beeped, letting him know that the caller had hung up. He picked up the device and checked when the message had been left. He memorized the date and time before checking his unanswered calls.

"Damnit." He growled.

An unregistered number. But for some reason he felt that he knew the caller. And not knowing who just who had called was killing him. Murtagh glared at the phone before throwing it onto his bed. It bounced twice on the mattress. He fisted a hand in his hair and walked over to the window to stare out of it.

When the phone would ring an hour later, he wouldn't pick up. But when ten minutes had passed, he would walk over to check his voicemail. He wasn't ready to talk to anyone yet, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to hear what they had to say. He may have walked away for a reason, but there was still going to be a while before he would be ready to tell people that reason.

* * *

**A/N** This is where I beg you all not to kill me, right? :ducks down under her desk:

To be perfectly honest, I had no idea Murtagh was going to turn around and do that! He's just so full of surprises, and I'm sure he's not done surprising us yet. But this doesn't mean that he won't have any scenes until he returns. He still has a lot of things to go through, so Murtagh will pop up every once in a while. But from now on, Eragon's POV will be more dominant.

I hope this chapter answered a few of your questions, especially the ones concerning the fake Eragon, why Eragon wasn't kidnapped... the whole deal with Eragon and his "death", really.

I know that I didn't say who left which message, and that was for a reason. Now you get to have fun and try to guess who said what. :wink: As if it isn't obvious though, hehe. And... I actually don't have a lot to say about this chapter. Other than yes, Aksel/Vanir is finally official, people! Lol.

Once again I have to ask you all to be patient with me. This story is coming to its end soon, if it plays nice with me, and I want to finish this and feel proud of myself. But there is still 3 chapters left, so don't start worrying just yet ;)

Also, for those who haven't been on my profile, I have gotten a copy of _Brisingr_ at last! However, I haven't had the time to read it done yet, so please do not leave any spoilers in your review. My profile will say when I've read the book, and if you wish to discuss something about it with me then, a PM is the way to go. Ok? :wink:

**Police Speak:**

_ASAP_ – short for As Soon As Possible

_Sadists_ – now, I'm just speculating when it comes to this issue. I'm not sure if a real sadist would admit his crimes that easily just by hearing the right words, but for the sake of the story, I'm making the Twins that f'ed up and "agreeable" if you will.

_Capital Punishment_ – the highest form of punishment you can get; death sentence.


	7. Inevitable

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel and Ciljan) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the seventh part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated for so long and apologise for the wait. We ask you all to once again buckle up and keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride. You may now proceed to read the gigantous update.

Thanks to everyone who read/reviewed and/or put this story on their fav/alert list! Seriously, thank you. I may not get back to you reviewers right away, but I try my best to do it asap!

A huge thanks to my beta **dragonrider713**. Without her I'd be lost a long time ago!

This chapter is for all of you who were missing some action in this story. And get your mind out of the gutter; it's not that kind of action! Well, at least not yet :wink:

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Seven; Inevitable**

_(09.37 PM – Tuesday 21__st__ of October. Inside the local cemetery in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon sat on the bench and stared at the graves before him. He visited his parents every year; the day before his birthday, the day they died, their respective birthdays, Mother's day and Father's day. People would perhaps say that he hadn't let go, but Eragon was at peace with himself. He knew there was nothing he could have done to prevent their death. He had only been eight years old, for Christ's sake! But that didn't mean that he didn't miss them.

The brunet sighed. His breath turned into a soft cloud before his eyes. During the last couple of days, the winter had really started to creep up on Carvahall. He wouldn't be surprised if November began with a fresh cover of snow covering the ground.

Eragon finished talking to his parents and got up. He never spoke out loud, in fear that someone might overhear it. He stuffed his hands further into his pockets and walked forward to the headstone he had been staring at for the past half-hour. He stopped and bowed his head in respect. Then he straightened up and started to leave.

Thoughts were whirling inside his mind, but they didn't really register to him. The brunet bit his lip when he found himself coming to the end of the path. Before him a new one continued on towards the gate. But right next to him was a different path, one he could remember having walked down not too long ago. Eragon clenched his jaw, turned right, and strode up the other path. It didn't take long before he slowly came to a stop. And there before him he recognized the headstone he had seen Murtagh beside that day that seemed to have been so long ago.

Eragon crouched down to read the writings. His eyes softened at the words written below Murtagh's mother's name. He scowled when he saw the one next to it. He felt a pang of satisfaction when the headstone didn't spell anything more than the man's name. It was no more than he had deserved. In fact, he was a little surprised Murtagh had even bothered to bury his father.

Eragon pushed himself up and bit his lip. He took a step back before hurrying down the path he had come. Suddenly he couldn't bear the thought of staying inside the cemetery a minute longer. It was making him think, making him remember.

The brunet reached the gates within minutes. He doubled over outside of them and started to heave for breath. His lungs were screaming for air, and the cold air hurt his lungs as he continued to breathe. For some reason he just wanted to scream.

"... Are you alright?"

Eragon looked up and froze. The man before him had black, shaggy hair that fell over his eyes. He was tall and lean, but muscled. His coat flapped slightly in the wind and the hair was brushed away from his eyes for just a second. And for a second Eragon thought he had seen a ghost.

"... Murtagh?" He breathed.

But no, it couldn't be. His eyes were the wrong colour, Eragon noticed. They were dark, not hazel.

"No, my name is Baldor. Baldor Travin." The man said and grinned. "Sorry to disappoint you."

Eragon blushed.

"No, it's no disappointment." He said sheepishly. "I just... you reminded me of a... friend."

Baldor raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

"And you are...?" He asked.

"Oh!" Eragon blushed again. "Sorry. I'm Eragon Rider."

"Rider, you say? Are you taking Psychology at the college?" Baldor asked.

"Um... yeah." Eragon replied sceptically.

He wondered if now was the time to run. He had had enough of stalkers to last a lifetime.

"I'm in your class!" Baldor exclaimed. "We have the same seminar on Tuesdays."

"Oh." Eragon grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm lousy with names, worse with faces."

Baldor laughed.

"That's okay. I mean, it's a pretty large class, and the seminar isn't exactly small either."

Eragon stuck his hands into his pockets and shrugged.

"And that doesn't exactly help matters, either." The brunet said dryly.

Baldor chuckled and shook his head.

"You're a really interesting kid." He said amusedly.

"I'm not a kid! I'm turning twenty tomorrow." The brunet said with a slight glare.

"Really?" Baldor grinned. "I believe congrats are in order, then."

"Thanks. It's no big deal, though."

"Sure it is!" Baldor said and winked. "It's not every day you turn twenty."

"I guess." Eragon said and shrugged.

"So, you doing anything on your birthday? I know it's kind of bold to ask, but..." The dark haired man smirked.

"I think my friends plan to get me insanely drunk, or at least, I know one of them wants me to, so..." Eragon said sheepishly.

"Rain check?" Baldor asked.

"Uh, sure." Eragon replied and bit his lip. "I'll... see you in class."

"Oh, you can count on that." Baldor said and winked.

Eragon watched him leave with a hot blush in his cheeks.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(07.49 PM – Wednesday 22__nd__ of October. Inside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

"You sure you're not lying about your age, man?" Aksel asked suspiciously. "You look cute enough to be seventeen."

"I'm not cute!!" Eragon protested loudly.

Saphira laughed as she watched her friend chase Aksel around the room. Eragon had been unusually sullen when the day had started, and not even his favourite breakfast had cheered him up. Saphira had worried about him all day and had prayed that the party would cheer him up somewhat. Thankfully it had.

While it was a small party, it was loud enough to give the impression that there were at least five more people present. Ajihad sat in the corner, chuckling slightly as Aksel ducked around the table to get away from an angry Eragon. Nasuada and Arya giggled and Arya tripped her brother as he ran by. Vanir just rolled his eyes as Aksel began to beg for mercy. Thorn laughed quietly and Saphira snuggled into him as he did so. He tightened the arm around her and she smiled when she felt him grin into her neck.

Saphira couldn't help but to feel that something was missing, however. And she knew everyone else felt it too. There was a certain _someone_ missing.

"I'll call him later to shout at him, okay?" Thorn whispered into her ear.

Saphira looked over her shoulder and at her boyfriend with a smile.

"You don't have to do that." She whispered back.

"But I want to." Thorn said and pursed his lips. "The bastard could at least have called to say happy birthday."

Saphira sighed softly.

"Are you sure he knows?"

Thorn frowned.

"He's read the file enough times to have memorized it, but if he remembers the date is another thing." He agreed. "Still, I haven't shouted at him in a while, so I'll call. Any excuse goes."

The blue eyed girl rolled her eyes. She looked back at her best friend and wasn't surprised to see him back in his seat.

"Why do I tolerate you?" Eragon drawled sourly.

"Because I'm adorable." Aksel said with a grin. "And your everyday would be so boring without me."

"No, they'd be quiet. God, I miss quiet." Eragon groaned.

Aksel pouted. Arya sniggered and Aksel shot her a mock-glare. She just answered with a wink.

"But Eragon, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Saphira spoke up.

Eragon shot her a shocked and offended look. Saphira smirked in answer. She wanted to keep Eragon's spirits up, and perhaps asking him about this would help.

"Who was that guy that I saw talking to you today?"

"There's a guy?!" Aksel asked loudly, his eyes wide with excitement.

Saphira begged that Aksel could shut his mouth about a certain subject, and just ask who the guy was, not who he could be replacing.

"No." Eragon stressed. "I just met him yesterday."

"And?" Arya asked eagerly, a slight smirk on her lips.

"He wished me happy birthday, that's all." The burnet said and shrugged.

Saphira smirked when she noticed the blush on Eragon's cheeks.

"Oh really?" Aksel drawled. "Then what's with the blush?"

"I think he asked you out." Nasuada commented and took a sip from the drink in her hands.

Eragon's blush deepened.

"No, he didn't!" He denied. "We're just going to work together on the upcoming project."

Aksel wolf-whistled.

"That guy doesn't waste time, does he?" He commented and sent Eragon a leer.

"Oh, fuck you." Eragon growled.

"Eragon, if he did ask you out, what would you answer?" Nasuada asked softly.

The room fell quiet. Nasuada bit her lip and opened her mouth to apologize, but Eragon beat her to it.

"I dunno... he..." He paused. "He reminds me a little of..."

Saphira winced. Yeah, what a great subject change that had proved to be. She hadn't gotten to look at the guy that closely, and that was coming back to bite her.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have brought him up." Saphira apologized softly.

"Nah, it's alright, Saph." Eragon said and grinned softly. "I'm just not ready to date yet."

Saphira sent him a soft grin in answer.

"... So, he's hot then?" Aksel asked around a mouthful of chips.

"AKSEL!" The girls protested loudly.

"Learn to swallow before talking, moron." Vanir scolded.

"He's alright." Eragon replied with a slight grin. "There's nothing wrong with him."

"He's just not... **him**." Nasuada said with understanding in her eyes.

Eragon nodded softly.

Saphira wanted to go over there and hug him, but held herself back. Eragon looked to be handling himself quite nicely. And as he had told her earlier, he could take care of himself.

"Alright, enough sad stuff!" Aksel exclaimed loudly. "How about some music?"

Saphira chuckled. Thorn grinned behind her and planted a soft kiss on her neck. She blushed and shoved him lightly. Thorn sniggered.

The phone decided to ring then. Saphira got ready to get up, but Eragon waved her down.

"No, I'll get it." Saphira stressed and got out of her boyfriend's hold. "You're the birthday boy; you don't get to answer phones today."

Eragon smiled sheepishly. Saphira winked and walked over to answer the phone. She picked it up and held it to her ear.

"Saphira speaking."

"_A box will be delivered to you in five minutes. Do not open it under any circumstances; it'll kill you all._"

Saphira felt her heart speed up. That voice seemed so familiar, and yet it seemed like a stranger's.

"Who are you?" She asked with a firm voice. "If this is a joke -"

"_This is no joke._" The voice said seriously. "_You are Saphira Drake and your roommate is Eragon Rider. Tonight is Rider's birthday, and for that someone has decided to give him a little gift. The gift of death._"

"Who are you?!" Saphira asked harshly.

"_My name is irrelevant. Please, I beg you; keep Rider from opening or even touching that box. Or you will all die. Ajihad Black, Vanir Therr, Aksel Elve, Arya Elve, Nasuada Black, Thorn Marron, Rider and you will die, if not more._" The voice paused. "_Hurry. You have one minute._"

Saphira stared in shock at the phone as the caller hung up. She slowly placed it back onto the cradle.

"Saphira?" Eragon asked in a slightly worried voice.

She turned around and just knew that she was as white as a sheet. Thorn stood up and hurried over to her.

"Saphira?"

She opened her mouth, but no words would come out of her mouth. Then the doorbell rang.

"NO!" She screamed. "Don't!"

Eragon stopped. He blinked at her.

"What's going on, Saph?" He asked. "You're acting strange. Who called?"

"Don't open the door. It's a trap. Someone's out to get you!" She said hysterically. "There'll be a box there, and it'll be addressed to you. Someone just warned me that someone's trying to kill you!"

Eragon frowned.

"That's a cruel joke." He murmured.

"He said it wasn't a joke!" Saphira exclaimed. "And I believe him."

Ajihad stood up and walked towards the door.

"Who was it?" Thorn asked softly.

"He wouldn't say." Saphira bit her lip. "But I believe him."

"There's a box out here, alright." Ajihad said gruffly and stepped away from the door so that they all could see.

Saphira grasped onto her boyfriend as she stared accusingly at the box. It was wrapped in brown paper and had a tag on it. She began to shake as her breathing got laboured.

"Saphira, you need to breathe!" Thorn said worriedly.

"I need the bomb squad here, stat." Ajihad barked into his cell phone.

Saphira looked at him with glassy eyes. She hadn't even noticed that he had taken it out.

"I'm not sure what it is, but Rider just got a call warning him against the arrival of such a box." Ajihad said gruffly. "Send the team over here immediately! I'll evacuate the building."

Saphira felt herself being lead out and grabbed onto Eragon tightly as they passed him. It was obviously Thorn that was leading her, but she only cared about saving her best friend at that moment. The others got out of the apartment slowly, everyone stepping over the box while making sure not to touch it. Ajihad continued to bark orders into his cell phone while Vanir and Aksel started to clear the building. Saphira found herself immensely thankful that they lived in a three story building with only about twenty apartments.

Thorn lead them out and across of the road. She noticed that he was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear what. She was too busy staring at the building she had just left. Then suddenly Thorn wasn't there anymore, and the sounds and feelings returned to her.

"Eragon."

The brunet beside her seemed numb. His lips were thin stretched and he was whiter than a sheet. Saphira put her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Why me?" He whispered brokenly. "Why is it always me?"

Saphira watched as several police cars came to a stop outside of their apartment complex and felt tears fall from her eyes.

"I don't know, Eragon, I just don't know."

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(10.06 PM – Wednesday 22__nd__ of October. Outside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

The figure watched the police work inside and outside of the building. The box had already been carried out and had been blown up inside a protective unit a couple of hours ago. The figure had watched the residents' reactions to the explosion and the still ongoing investigation. And he had watched one group of people in particular.

The police part of the group hadn't been allowed to participate in the investigation and seemed to be discussing it together. Two people were standing a little to the side, both quiet and both terrified. It had been their home that had been threatened that night after all.

The figure looked down at the cell phone in his hands and tightened his grip around it. He didn't want to think about what could have happened if he hadn't made the call, if he hadn't been hanging in that bar that night... the figure growled and slammed his unoccupied hand into the brick wall beside him. He bit his teeth together to keep himself from screaming.

He had thought everything had been over. He had been foolish. The figure snarled at himself and gently stuffed his hand into his jacket pocket. It seemed like he needed to make a few calls.

The figure turned around with the intention to leave. His heart gave a small clench and he looked over his shoulder. The tall red haired man had broken away from the police circle and was hugging the small girl tightly. The brunet beside her kept on staring blankly at the building before him. The figure watched as another part of the police group broke away and walked over to him. The brunet met the blond's eyes for a minute before looking away. The figure growled slightly when the blond hugged the stiff brunet.

He cursed at himself and looked away. He had no right to look, no right to feel anything. The figure turned around and began to walk away. He jumped when his cell phone suddenly started to ring. He cursed loudly and started to run. He wasn't about to get caught lurking around there.

****

::BLACK MIST::

_(05.23 AM – Thursday 23__rd__ of October. Inside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon stared out of the window blankly. He had been unable to sleep that night. Everything was just a mess.

He knew who had sent that box, it was just too obvious. It seemed that when he couldn't have the brunet, Galbatorix wasn't going to let anyone else have him either. Eragon bit his lip and pushed the tears back. He wished for someone to hold him, but no one's arms seemed right. He didn't want anyone else to hold him but Murtagh, and that bastard was missing!

Eragon let out a small sob. He tightened his arms around his knees and buried himself deeper into them. He was never going to get away, never. He cursed Galbatorix, he cursed God, he cursed everyone he could think of. He had done nothing to deserve this! And he especially cursed Murtagh for not having been there.

The brunet sniffled and reached out to grab his cell phone. He wanted to call him, but it was more than the bastard deserved. He knew he was being irrational; Murtagh couldn't possibly have heard of the attempt yet, but a part of him cursed Murtagh for not having been there when he had been escorted out.

Eragon brushed a hand over his eyes and flipped the phone open. He glared down at the device and positioned his thumb over a button. Before he could dial, he flipped the phone shut. He couldn't do it. He didn't know what to say... Just like last time, he had no idea what to say.

Eragon stared at the small device for a few minutes. He blinked owlishly when he noticed a small figure on his screen. He flipped it back open and studied it more carefully. He had a voice message?

Wordlessly Eragon pressed the number to his answering machine and pressed to hear the message.

"_Happy birthday, kid. I'm sorry you had to spend it this way. I'll make sure the bastard gets what he deserves._"

Eragon blinked when the message ended. He knew that voice, knew it as well as his own. He smiled softly and quietly closed the phone. Then he allowed himself to cry.

****

::BLACK MIST::

_(01.27 PM – Monday 27__th__ of October. Outside of Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon sighed and buried himself deeper into his jacket. It was slowly getting colder as November was just around the corner. Over the weekend he had been able to get himself together and he had once again been placed under surveillance. Only now there was someone watching his every step, he wasn't being moved. And Eragon didn't mind not being shipped off to some random safe house. It hadn't worked too well the last time. Eragon smiled sadly when he remembered the moments he had had in the safe house not even a year ago. Yeah, it was probably best that they only had a couple of people on him this time.

"Eragon!"

The brunet turned around with a small frown. He recognized the owner of the voice a second later and let a half smile graze his lips.

"Hey, Baldor." Eragon replied softly.

"I'm sorry, I just heard. Are you okay?" Baldor asked worriedly.

Eragon stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets and sighed.

"Yeah. I mean, I should be getting used to this, right? King's never going to leave me alone, even if he is behind bars." He said dryly.

"I'm guessing that you're not an optimist." Baldor commented with a frown. "There's no use thinking like that, you'll just end up getting more stressed. Listen, I know that you have a few tails. Why don't you let them do their job and try to relax a bit?"

Eragon's frown deepened.

"How did you know that I have people tailing me?" He asked suspiciously.

"My brother Albreich is a cop." Baldor confessed. "I can recognize his ugly cap anywhere. He's one of your tails."

Eragon let out a small laugh.

"Why is it that I can't relax around you?" The brunet asked quietly.

"Because you haven't gotten to know me yet, and semi-strangers, while better than strangers, aren't easy to trust." The dark haired man said and winked. "And I won't push you to get to know me. I just like talking to you, and it doesn't hurt that you're cute either."

Eragon blushed.

"Enough with the cute comments, already! I'm not!"

Baldor laughed heartily.

"Sure you're not." He drawled teasingly.

The brunet scowled.

"I know you're probably really edgy, so I'll drop the offer to go for coffee. Would you like some company home instead?" Baldor asked with a charming smile.

Eragon bit his lip. Saphira's class wouldn't be over in another hour, and he could easily just text her...

"Uh, okay. Sure." Eragon said and nodded softly. "This way. Though, I have to take a bus home, so it'll only be to the bus bench."

"That's alright by me." Baldor said and grinned.

Along the way they chatted quietly. Once they had gotten over what had initiated the conversation, Eragon found himself relaxing slightly in Baldor's company. He was very outgoing and charming, and had a nice sense of humour. Eragon found himself laughing even though he still felt a bit edgy. It felt nice to laugh again.

"Oh, the bus'll be here in two minutes." Eragon noted as he checked his cell.

"You're kidding? I haven't seen you take this bus before." Baldor said and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, normally I hang around in the library while I wait for my best friend, but today you came along, so..." Eragon smiled sheepishly.

"So where do you live?" The dark eyed male asked.

"Off St. Main's and Brackstone." Eragon replied easily. "But don't spread that around too much, yeah?"

"Your secret's safe with me." Baldor promised with a wink. "And that's actually just a few stops before mine. What a coincidence! Because of his job, my brother and I live closer to the station."

"And the station's down the same road. Yeah, I know." Eragon commented sadly.

"Ah, you've found that out the hard way, huh?" Baldor said and winced. "I'm sorry. A lot of things seem to have happened to you, huh?"

"You haven't even seen the tip of the iceberg yet." The brunet said sourly.

Baldor winced again. Eragon sighed and perked up a bit when the bus finally arrived. He stepped onto it and easily found a seat. He scooted in and let Baldor have the other seat.

"I really am sorry, you know. You don't deserve any of this." Baldor murmured quietly as the bus started to move.

Eragon looked out of the window and bit his lip.

"Things happen anyway. That's life." He said and sighed, his breath fogging up the window as he did so.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence. Eragon sighed and pressed the button as his stop came up. Baldor stood up to allow him to get out. Before the bus stopped, Baldor pulled him close.

"I'll catch you in class tomorrow. Hang in there." He said and gave him an encouraging smile.

Eragon sent him a half smile and stepped off the bus. For some reason, the weight on his chest didn't seem as unbearable as it had done just an hour ago.

****

::BLACK MIST::

_(07.14 PM – Thursday 30__th__ of October. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

"_FUCK_!"

Thorn ignored the shocked looks he got as he slammed his fists into the table. Ajihad sighed tiredly and went back to his call. Nasuada walked over to him and sat down.

"Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not bloody alright." Thorn growled. "No leads, none whatsoever!"

Nasuada sighed.

"We're trying the best we can." She murmured softly.

"The best isn't good enough." Thorn barked. "And we aren't doing our best. Doing our best would mean tracking down Morann's ass and dragging him back here!"

Ajihad ended his call and snapped his phone shut. Arya sighed tiredly and looked up from the pile of documents she had been reading for the past hour.

"We all want him back, _need_ him back, but Murtagh needs the time off." Nasuada said softly. "You of all people should know that."

"The idiot could just have gone to a shrink here instead of running off try to get better by isolating himself and meditating." The redhead said darkly.

"If that's what's going to help Murtagh, then we should respect his choices." Nasuada said firmly. "I don't like that he's gone as much as you do, but I won't force him to come back unless he's ready. That could only complicate things."

Thorn just glared down at the table, silently willing it to start burning, anything to keep his mind off of his missing best friend.

"We all feel bad about his disappearance, but there's only so much we can do." The dark eyed woman said and sighed.

"I don't see anyone else mourning him." Thorn growled angrily.

"That's right, because we think that keeping Eragon safe is more important right now!" Nasuada said angrily.

Thorn looked up at her in surprise. It had been ages since he had seen her get angry, especially this angry.

"Did you know that I was the last one to speak to him before he left? Do you know how that makes me feel? He won't return any of our calls, and I just..."

Arya stood up and hurried over to her girlfriend. Nasuada sobbed quietly and allowed Arya to lower her into a chair. Thorn slowly felt his anger leave him and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Nas. I shouldn't have taken this out on you." He murmured.

"No, it's alright." Nasuada said and brushed away her tears. "We're all falling apart without him. That stupid bastard."

Ajihad chuckled softly.

"It seems like he was the glue that held us all together. Ironic, isn't it?" He commented with a slight grin.

"Oh yeah." Thorn murmured.

"It's just so quiet without him." Arya commented softly. "You wouldn't think so, but it is."

"Yeah, even Aksel can't make up for his silence." Ajihad agreed.

"Don't let Aksel hear you say that." Thorn smirked. "He might get offended."

Nasuada let out a choked laugh.

"I'm sure he'll return a few calls soon. You know how he is. We just need to wait for the guilt to set in." Arya said comfortingly.

"What if it doesn't set in this time?" Nasuada whispered.

"Bull." Thorn snorted. "And the first he'll call is you. I just curse at him, the Captain might somehow persuade him to come back, so he'll wait a bit there... that leaves only you. And why wouldn't he? You're the one that actually understands him."

Nasuada sent him a soft smile.

"Do you know if Eragon has called him?" Ajihad asked and rubbed a hand over his chin.

"No. Why?" Arya asked.

"Maybe that kid could be the thing that brings him home." Ajihad said and smirked.

"Guys, you won't believe this!!" Aksel exclaimed loudly and practically fell into the room.

Vanir strode in quietly behind him. The dark haired man just rolled his eyes and sat down in his usual seat. Aksel on the other hand remained standing, almost jumping up and down in excitement.

"What?" Arya asked with a crocked eyebrow.

Nasuada dried her tears and pulled herself together. Thorn snorted and waited for whatever news Aksel would have for them.

"I was assigned to tail Eragon, right? You'll never guess who I saw with him!" Aksel said smugly.

"Santa Claus?" Vanir drawled. "No wait, he doesn't exist. How about the Tooth Fairy?"

"Haha, very funny. See if you get some tonight." Aksel said and glared.

Thorn sniggered. Vanir scowled at him but went back to his work with only a hint of a blush on his cheeks. Thorn had to give it to him; Vanir knew how to keep his mask fairly intact.

"Anyhow! Eragon's got a boyfriend!" The blond exclaimed loudly and smirked.

The room fell silent. Thorn's mind went back to Eragon's birthday and he cursed mentally. He felt torn. He didn't know whether to feel happy for Eragon or sad for Murtagh. He quickly ruled out the second option. Murtagh had had his chance, and obviously he had spoiled it.

"Really?" Arya asked with interest sparkling in her eyes. "What's he like?"

"Well, he's about yeah tall." Aksel gestured about a few centimetres taller than himself and continued. "He has these really dark eyes, and blackish hair. You know, kind of like Morann's... he's actually Murtagh's clone, if you look away from the eyes and the fact that he likes other colours besides black."

Nasuada frowned softly. Arya crocked an eyebrow and bit her lip.

"... Looks like Murtagh's being replaced." Vanir drawled without looking away from his files.

"Not necessarily." Nasuada commented. "You said he looks a lot like Murtagh? Well, Eragon might like him because he looks like Murtagh."

Aksel shrugged.

"I dunno. His personality seems a lot better than the bastard's. And I can tell that he's definitely interested in Eragon and he's not afraid to show it." Aksel paused. "If Eragon lets himself, I think he can actually fall for this guy."

Thorn cursed mentally.

"But it's not our place." Arya said softly and closed her eyes. "Murtagh threw it away. He could have had Eragon if he had just sucked it up and admitted his feelings."

"Murtagh's not like that." Thorn said quietly. "He's too scarred, not to mention scared to let himself open up like that again."

"I don't know." Nasuada commented. "Maybe this vacation of his is to do just that, to teach himself how to open up?"

"He's not doing a great job then, if you ask me." Vanir drawled and snorted. "To distance himself from the people he's allegedly trying to be more open towards isn't going to help."

"Ice Princess has got a point." Aksel said and smacked his lips. "Maybe if he could tear down a wall or two he'd be a step closer, but in the end he needs to come back to actually succeed."

"He is coming back." Thorn said in a firm voice. "Or I'll make him."

"You said this yourself, Thorn; we're his family." Ajihad said and ran a hand over his head. "He'll be back sooner or later."

"Well, judging by how Prince Charming is doing with Eragon right now, he better get back soon." Aksel paused. "Or he'll have no love interest to come back to."

****

::BLACK MIST::

_(06.28 PM – Friday 31__st__ of October. Somewhere in Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh stepped into his hotel room with a scowl on his lips. He shed his clothes as he stepped into the room and entered the bathroom with only his boxers left. He chucked them off and stepped into the shower. A few agonizing minutes later he stepped out and towelled himself off. Then he changed, hung his wet clothes to dry in the shower, and stepped back into the room.

Murtagh ran a hand through his wet hair before padding over to the mini bar. He reached inside, grabbed a beer, and closed it. Then he sank down into a chair and chugged half of the beer in one gulp.

Murtagh glared accusingly at his phone as it sat innocently on his desk. He had left it behind that day. He didn't want anyone to hear it go off; even the vibration could compromise him. And he saw no point in walking around with a dead phone, so he had left it.

He slowly stood up and walked over to the small device, beer in one hand. He sneered when he noticed that he had several missed calls. He sighed and punched in the number for his answering machine. Then he put it on speaker and pressed the number to hear his messages.

The dark haired man let out a groan as he waited for the first message to begin. He noted that he had gotten it on Eragon's birthday, but pushed that thought away.

"_I'm almost, almost getting tired of calling you an asshole._" The voice of Thorn Marron told him darkly. "_But only almost. I can't get tired when you can't stop being a fucking asshole!_"

Murtagh let out a laugh. If there was anyone he truly missed, it was his best friend.

"_How hard is it to pick up the phone and just call the kid to tell him happy fucking birthday?_" Thorn growled, and Murtagh wondered just how much his friend had had to drink that night. "_Did you know what he had to go through tonight? No, of course you don't, cos you're not here!!_"

"But I do." Murtagh mumbled darkly and took another gulp of his beer.

"_But you know what? I'm not even going to tell you. If you wanna know, you can call him yourself._" Thorn spat. "_I hope you come to your senses soon, bastard, or I'll punch them into you, whether you want them or not._"

Murtagh sighed and put the bottle down. The next message he had gotten the day after Eragon's twentieth. It was almost a bit unbelievable; Eragon having turned twenty. And Murtagh would be lying if he said that he didn't regret not having been there.

"_I guess you're not going to call us back, are you?_" Nasuada's sad voice said softly. "_I just... I want to know if it was me who pushed you away._"

"No, never Nas." Murtagh whispered. "It was me, it's always me."

"_I should never have brought up adopting. I just..._" She paused. "_You're lonely, Murtagh, anyone can see that. And even if you don't believe it, you would make a wonderful father. I just thought that if you were unwilling to give a relationship a try, then why not fatherhood? It could make you trust again, make you understand love more. I know how much you want to understand that emotion, especially for a certain someone's sake._"

The hazel eyed man winced. He hated how Nasuada could sometimes see right through him. It was almost hard to believe that she had never taken any behaviour psychology classes.

"_I was only thinking of you. And while my gut tells me I didn't push you away, my heart needs to get that confirmation. Is that too much to ask?_" Nasuada asked softly.

Murtagh felt his heart clench. He was scum, worse than scum even! He didn't deserve the friends he had, and he never would.

"_Please, call me._"

He put his head in his hands and sighed.

"_... 25__th__ of October, 2008._"

Murtagh didn't remove his head from his hands, but looked at the desk to his right nonetheless.

"_... I just... I wanted to say thank you... Bye._"

Murtagh felt a small smile tug on his lips. He killed it before it could fully form. He had no business smiling over such an innocent thing. He had just thanked Murtagh, that was all. It wasn't an 'I forgive you' or 'I miss you', just a simple 'thank you'. Nothing more, nothing less.

He shook himself out of his thoughts just in time to hear that the next message had been left the next day.

"_I, um, I have no real business doing this, but there is something I have to tell you._" Murtagh raised an eyebrow when he recognized Saphira's voice.

She seemed hesitant and was talking quietly. He wondered what time she had called, and cursed himself for not having listened more thoroughly. Then he cursed himself for wondering in the first place. It was probably just nothing.

"_I just wanted to tell you that we all miss you. The team, Eragon and me that is. Especially Eragon misses you._" Saphira paused. "_He's been through another rough deal, and considering we can smell Galbatorix on this, a lot of us are surprised you haven't come home yet. Eragon could use you right now. He could use someone that understands what he's going through._"

Murtagh gritted his teeth. Way to make him feel better.

"_I'm not trying to trick you into coming back or anything... I just... I figured you should know._" Saphira said and said her goodbye before hanging up.

"_Message five; received at 08.25 PM on the 30__th__ of October, 2008._"

Murtagh sighed and stood up, grabbing hold his beer as he did so. He brought it to his lips just as the message began.

"_Hey, Tag._" He instantly recognized Arya's voice.

He frowned a bit. She hadn't left him a message before now. Granted, they had a rather complicated relationship, and while they were close they weren't the type to leave each other messages when they would see each other later. But since he was currently gone, that was doomed to change.

"_Aksel just gave us the most fascinating news. I'm sure if the others could hear me now, they'd beg me not to tell you._"

Murtagh crocked an eyebrow. He downed the last of the beer and put the bottle away.

"_Apparently Eragon's gotten himself a new friend._" Arya paused, and he could just see her crock an eyebrow in similar fashion to himself. "_And by that I mean a close friend._"

Murtagh spun around in shock. He stared at the phone accusingly. _What_?

"_Yeah, it shocked us too. Apparently he's a really nice guy. I haven't met him yet, but when I do I'll make sure to run him through the boyfriend screening process. All just for you, Tag._" Murtagh just knew she was smirking. "_I know what you're thinking, Murtagh. You're far too easy to read. But I'm afraid that you're right. If he gets the time, he'll have Eragon say yes to a date soon._"

Murtagh just blinked.

"_I don't know what to feel about all this. We all know that you're heads over heels for this kid, you just won't admit it. But Murtagh, if you don't come clean soon, no matter what Eragon still feels about you, you'll lose him. Because you've officially gotten competition._" Arya said and sighed softly. "_No pressure or anything, but as your friend, I thought you should know._"

The message ended and Murtagh clenched his hand into a fist. It protested from previous abuse, but he didn't care.

He stood inside the room for a few more minutes. Arya's had been the final message, and the phone was quiet. Slowly he walked over to the desk and ended the call. He looked down at his hand and sneered at the bruising he saw there. Nothing serious, but it throbbed quite nicely. Murtagh gritted his teeth and glared out of his window. Outside the rain continued to fall.

The anger slowly fell into a comfortable level of irritation. Murtagh let out a long sigh and reached out to grab his phone. Slowly he dialled a number and held it to his ear.

"_Nasuada Black here._"

"... Nas, its Murtagh."

****

::BLACK MIST::

_(09.41 PM – Friday 31__st__ of October. Inside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon flipped through the book in his hands, not really reading it as he did so. In fact, he didn't know what book he was flipping through. But it didn't matter; all he wanted was something to do. Pretending to watch TV never worked, and music could only be used as a background noise. So, pretending to read it was.

Saphira was out with Thorn for the evening, though Eragon knew she'd be back soon. Even though he had told her to go ahead and stay with Thorn, Saphira had told him that she'd be back before eleven. Eragon was tempted to bet that she wouldn't.

The brunet sighed and closed the book. He had flipped his way through it; it was time to find something else to do. He got up to put it away and jumped in fright when the phone suddenly started to ring.

Eragon laughed quietly when he noticed it was only his cell phone. He walked back to the couch and picked it up.

"Yeah?"

"_Eragon?_"

"Speaking. Who is this?" Eragon asked and sat down.

"_It's Baldor_." The other man laughed. "_Happy Halloween._"

"Ah, thanks." Eragon said and grinned. "That's a lousy excuse to call someone, though."

"_Guilty._" Baldor said and chuckled. "_I was actually calling to ask what you were doing this weekend._"

Eragon blinked in surprise. He leaned to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Nothing that I know of. Why, are you going to ask me out?"

Eragon had to admit that he was reluctant to agree to go out with the other. Even though he was no longer as tense around Baldor, he wasn't comfortable enough to go out with him. Something was keeping him from saying yes.

"_Guilty again._" Baldor said and Eragon could hear the grin in his voice. "_So, are you free?_"

The brunet bit his lip.

"... I don't know." He murmured finally.

"_Eragon, I'm not going to push you into doing something you aren't comfortable with. But I can't help it, I'm attracted to you._"

Eragon blushed. His mind captured the words and made the voice deeper and added a slight smirk at the end. Eragon shook his head furiously and scowled at himself. He couldn't believe it! Even his own mind was against him!

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's just..." Eragon paused.

There were no words left in his mouth. He cursed silently.

"_Did you recently break up with someone?_" Baldor asked understandingly.

"Actually, no. Nothing happened, he was too stubborn to see that I..." Eragon gulped. "That I..."

"_That you loved him._" The dark haired man murmured. "_I see._"

"Actually, you don't. He knew. He knew, but he was scared. Said he didn't want to hurt me and that's why he couldn't be with me. He... he left some weeks ago." Eragon said quietly.

"_I'm sorry. He obviously hurt you._" Baldor said and cleared his throat.

"Yeah... yeah he did." Eragon bit his lip.

"_... How long have you loved him?_" Baldor asked with a barely detectible sour edge.

"Five months." The brunet answered honestly. "And it only took him two to break my heart."

Baldor cursed over the line.

"I'm sorry. I'll shut up now." Eragon said and forced a laugh. "There's no need to listen to me go on and on about old ghosts."

"_No, it's alright. I just can't believe someone actually is able to say no to you. That jerk doesn't know what he's missing._" Baldor said gruffly.

"No, he doesn't." Eragon snorted. "But I understand him a bit. He's been through a lot."

"_That's no excuse._" The older man told him firmly.

"I suppose it isn't. But this guy is broken, actually broken, Baldor." Eragon said softly. "Everyone he's ever loved as died or left him. I can understand why he doesn't want to let anyone close again. But it doesn't mean I don't think he's a bastard or hate him for what he did."

"_... Did he love you back?_"

Eragon licked his lips.

"I like to think that he did." The brunet laughed humourlessly. "He indirectly told me that he did. But you'd have to be there to understand what I mean."

"_Then take me there. What did he say?_" Baldor asked. "_But if you don't want to tell me, I understand._"

"He told me that if he knew how to love, he'd love me with all of his heart." Eragon said wistfully. "And two minutes later he walked out of my life."

"_Man, doesn't that sound like someone I know._" Baldor said and snorted.

"What?" Eragon perked up. "Who?"

"_I told you my brother's in the police, right? Well, he has worked with this guy a few times, and I had the pleasure of meeting him once. That just sounds like something he'd say._" The dark haired man chuckled. "_Don't ask me why, but that just screamed Morann._"

Eragon felt his breath catch.

"_But it can't be him. That guy has got a stick so far up his ass that it must have speared his heart and is lodged in his throat. He can't even utter the word love without stuttering._" Baldor snorted.

"Wow, that's some description." Eragon commented softly.

"_Oh yeah. Why, have you met him?_" Baldor asked and Eragon could just see him raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I met him during the investigation. I'm actually quite familiar with the whole homicide team." Eragon replied dryly.

"_Wow, my condolences._" Baldor laughed.

"Hey, apart from Morann and Therr, the rest are cool." Eragon said and tried not to choke when he uttered Murtagh's name.

"_True._" Baldor paused. "_But Morann's none of my business. He can make even the manliest of men cry, and I'm sure there's a reason that stick is so far up his ass. If you're a friend of his, I'm sorry for badmouthing him._"

"We're friends, but even I badmouth him once in a while." The brunet replied nonchalantly. "If you know Morann, you have to know how to curse him back, or he'll tease you until you want to melt into the floor."

Baldor let out a loud laugh.

"_True._" He sniggered. "_But enough about him. I'm sure you've got better things to do than to badmouth someone over the phone with me. Talk to you on Monday, Eragon._"

"Yeah, see you."

"_I'll get you to go out with me yet._" Baldor teased.

"I'm sure you will." Eragon said and hung up.

He looked down at the phone in his hand. Slowly he stuck it into his pocket and leaned back. He pulled his knees to his chest and curled his arms around them.

Something was happening inside his heart and his mind, but he wasn't sure what. Everything seemed to be one big mess, and he needed to dig deeper to see what was in that mess. Eragon rested his chin on top of his knees and stared out into thin air.

Behind him he could hear the autumn rain continue to fall. It soothed him into a mild doze, where he could only hear the voices in his mind and feel the beats of his heart. And so his mind began to drift.

****

::BLACK MIST::

_(02.08 PM – Monday 3__rd__ of November. Outside Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Saphira stepped out of the college and let out a loud sigh of relief. Even though her breath turned into a small cloud in front of her, and the cold instantly made her cheeks flush, she was glad to finally be able to step outside.

Saphira pulled her jacket tighter around her and started to look around for Eragon. They had agreed to meet outside earlier that morning, but so far she hadn't been able to spot him. She frowned and let her eyes search the campus more thoroughly.

Suddenly she spotted him. A second later she felt her eyes widen and gasped. _Murtagh?_ But no, it wasn't him. It was only his pale features and his dark hair that resembled the sergeant. He was dressed in a dark brown coat that flapped slightly in the wind, something Saphira knew Murtagh would never wear. Thorn had told her once that Murtagh refused to wear long coats, for some strange reason. And when the Murtagh look-alike turned slightly, she recognized his face. Baldor.

The blue eyed girl shook her head. It amazed her that even after meeting Baldor for the third time; he still made her think of Murtagh. Saphira frowned when she wondered if that was the only reason Eragon was interested.

As she came closer, she could hear bits of their conversation. A few people were still buzzing around her, and she used the cover to listen in. Normally she wouldn't have, but something held her back from approaching the couple just yet.

"... meet at my place to work on the project?" Baldor asked and grinned.

Eragon buried his hands deeper into his pockets.

"Um, sure. But I have to work tonight. How about tomorrow?"

Saphira rolled her eyes. For some reason Eragon was completely unable to notice a come-on.

Baldor sighed.

"I should just stop asking you out, shouldn't I?"

"... That was asking me out on a date?" Eragon asked with a confused frown on his face.

"No." Baldor said and smiled sadly. "But it's something that I have found myself thinking about since we last spoke. Even though it has been, what, three months? Well, I can see that it still hurts you. I can settle with being your friend for now."

Saphira felt her mouth open in shock. She had heard people say similar things, but never had she found herself actually believing the guy who said it. And Saphira felt herself gasp again when she saw Eragon smile.

"I know I should move on, but when someone touches your heart like that, it's hard to let go." Eragon said softly. "Call me stupid, but I don't think I can ever forget what he made me feel. And I think that's what has been keeping me back."

Saphira clenched her eyes shut when she heard the 'but' in her friend's voice.

"But..." Eragon paused. "Despite all of that, I'd like to give it a shot."

The blonde opened her eyes. Eragon looked calm, though there was a small customary blush in his cheeks. His stance made him look sheepish, as did the smile on his face. Saphira couldn't remember the last time she had seen him so relaxed.

She wondered what had happened during the previous weekend. When she had come home on Friday, Eragon had already gone to bed. The next day he had acted normally, though he had continued to stare out of the window. He must have been buried deeply within his own mind, as it had taken her several tries to gain his attention concerning the smallest of things. It was like he had been in another world.

Suddenly she wanted to know what they had talked about. Obviously she hadn't been there, or she would have remembered. Whatever had been said must have gotten Eragon to think really hard about what he had felt or still felt towards Murtagh, and Saphira wondered what his conclusion had been. Despite what he had just told Baldor, Saphira had the feeling that wasn't all he had thought about during the last couple of days.

"Really? Wow." Baldor breathed and a large grin made his face brighten up. "What brought this on?"

Eragon's eyes saddened and his gaze fell to the ground. Saphira slowly began to move forward, no longer caring if she was spotted or not.

"I... I guess I wanted to give you a chance. Even though it's only been about two weeks, I've come to trust you." Eragon bit his lip. "And maybe it was time I moved on."

"You don't have to feel like you owe me anything -" Baldor started to say, but was cut off.

"I don't." Eragon replied honestly. "But go ahead, ask me again."

"Alright." Baldor grinned. "Are you doing anything this Thursday?"

Saphira stopped just a few feet away from them. She watched Eragon straighten himself and blush.

"No."

"Would you like to go on a movie? I heard that there's a new one showing that's really good." Baldor asked with hope glimmering in his eyes.

"Sure, I'd like that." Eragon replied.

"Alright. Is Thursday at six okay? Meet you outside of the cinema?" The dark haired man asked.

Saphira watched Eragon nod and bit her lip as they parted ways. She looked up to the sky and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She allowed the small sadness to pass before walking up towards her friend, a teasing smile already on her face and a comment in mind. Now she had to be Eragon's friend. She could talk to Thorn later.

* * *

**A/N** I'd like to thank everyone who was supportive of me during the plagiarising deal. Your support really helped, so thank you all so so much! It's thanks to you and all of my friends that I'm back again with a new chapter.

Baldor is an actual character that appears all three of the current Inheritance books. The character description here is as accurate as from what my beta and I found. His likeness to Murtagh and such is made up by me, though. The reasons I did this will become obvious later in the story, if you can't guess it already :wink:

And please don't kill me for making Eragon give in, yeah? :sheepish: Everything happens for a reason, okay? Also, I'm sorry for Murtagh's bastard behaviour. He just started drinking on me! I ought to kill him, I really do.

I'm sorry for the wait for this. But due to the whole plagiarising deal, I found myself unable to even look at my fics, let alone read them over and write. Also, due to my rapidly upcoming exams, I won't be able to post more in November. I'm sorry, but this is the way I have to do it. I'll be back with more chapters after the 10th of December or so.

But I hope you liked the chapter! At least I didn't end it with a cliffhanger this time, hm?

**Police Speak:**

_Bomb squad_ – a team that's trained to take care of bombs e.g. make sure they don't detonate and kill people in the process

_Stat_ – Right away, now, quickly


	8. Surreal

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action. Swearing or strong language. Gore and Blood – I like my crime scenes messy, my apologies. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the eight part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and we ask you all to once again buckle up, keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride and to hopefully enjoy the update. You may proceed to read yell at the writer after the ride is over.

I owe a huge thanks to everyone who is still reading this story and to everyone that reviews. I know you've been waiting for some serious boyxboy action for a very long time, and it kills me to say that it won't happen yet. Until then, enjoy this hellishly long chapter. For while there is no slash, there is action.

But an even bigger thanks is owed to my beta **dragonrider713**. Without her I don't know what I'd do.

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Eight; Surreal**

_(09.19 PM – Monday 3__rd__ of November. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

A figure sat silently inside a dark office, waiting. The minutes slowly ticked by, and still the figure didn't move. The only thing that could be heard inside the office was the figure's soft breathing. Everything else was silent.

The figure's eyes snapped open when the door was unlocked. He watched as the doorknob was pushed down and the door open slowly. Another figure walked inside and closed the door softly. Then the lights came on.

"Nasuada."

"Murtagh."

Nasuada smiled softly and walked across of the room. Murtagh watched her step around his desk and looked up to meet her eyes. Then she moved forward and Murtagh found himself being hugged. He sighed and circled his arms around her in return.

"You almost made us believe you weren't going to come back." She whispered. "I ought to hang you for making us worry like that."

Murtagh chuckled. He let go and watched as Nasuada stepped back. She pulled up a chair and sat down on his side of the desk.

"That was the point." He replied. "I had... things to take care of."

"Why do I get the feeling you've been doing some investigation by yourself?" Nasuada asked suspiciously.

"Because I have." Murtagh replied deadpanned. "Without me you'd all be dead, we'd all be dead."

"So it was you who called." The female stated. "I should have known."

Murtagh smirked.

"What have you found out?" She asked and folded her hands in her lap.

"A lot." Murtagh said and held back a sneer. "Rider's become popular lately, too popular. It seems that some people aren't happy that he helped to put Galbatorix away. Really, you'd think they would be after me, but..."

Nasuada narrowed her eyes as he shrugged.

"So that's what you've been doing all this time? Working undercover?"

"That would require me being paid." Murtagh said and smirked. "This is my own investigation. I think I've almost found the last remains of the inner circle of _the Forsworn_."

"Who is it? It has to be someone special, or you wouldn't have done the one thing you swore never to do; go undercover." Nasuada said and frowned.

"Now, while the twins were Galbatorix' favourite torturers and Durza was his second in command, he had two henchmen that did the rest of his dirty work. Have you ever heard of the Ra'zac?"

Nasuada shivered. Murtagh smirked grimly.

"I'm guessing you have. They have been responsible for every attempt to break out Galbatorix and the attempt on Rider's life." He said darkly. "And I'm close to catching them. Apparently they only use the tattoo parlour as a decoy and move around from place to place. But I've heard that they're coming to Carvahall soon, and that's when I'm going to catch them."

"Are you insane?!" Nasuada hissed. "You're staying right here and you're going to accept help from the team. You can't do this alone!"

"I have to do this alone." Murtagh stressed. "I need to get them alone. If there are too many people around, cops at that, they'll never show. The Ra'zac are uncomfortably intelligent and violent bastards. They make the twins look like kittens."

Nasuada looked at him helplessly. Murtagh smiled sadly.

"You have to accept some help. I cannot allow you to go back out there and risk your life like this." She whispered sternly.

Murtagh looked away from her.

"There is a reason I asked you to meet me here. I knew you would be the one that would be least likely to drag my ass back into the team before I was ready. Please, I'm asking you to see that I'm not ready." He whispered.

Murtagh heard her sigh softy. He continued to look away, rather focusing on the inside of his office. It felt strange to be back, even for the short period of time he was going to stay.

"Murtagh, look at me." The black eyed woman murmured.

Murtagh looked back at her. Her eyes searched his and he let them. She bit her lip and closed her eyes briefly.

"If I hadn't cared for you so much, I would have knocked you out and dragged you before my father." Nasuada said painfully. "Unfortunately I won't."

Murtagh allowed his eyes to soften. He cared for Nasuada, and while Thorn was his best friend, he wouldn't have understood like Nasuada did. Thorn would have been too busy feeling betrayed; something Murtagh intended to fix. He just didn't have the time to fix it just yet.

"When are they coming here?"

"Within a week." Murtagh replied nonchalantly. "When I need the help, I'll contact you."

"No, don't go!" Nasuada exclaimed as he stood.

Murtagh sighed. He looked down at her and tried to make her understand with his eyes.

"I have to. I might have found walking away a little easier hadn't a little bird whispered something in my ear the other day." Murtagh paused. "But once an asshole, always an asshole, right?"

"Bird?" Nasuada asked and stood up as well.

"Arya called." Murtagh said and zipped up his jacket. "She was kind enough to let me know how Rider's been doing."

It took a second for Nasuada to make the connections. When she did, she swore under her breath.

"I think Arya's rubbing off on you." Murtagh commented with a smirk.

"Nothing's determined yet, Murtagh. Eragon had just gotten a suitor." She said and rubbed her arms, as if she suddenly felt cold.

"Sounded like it was a bit more than that." The hazel eyed man commented dryly.

"Please, don't leave yet. At least visit the others before you go." She begged.

"You know I can't." Murtagh said and snorted. "Thorn would kick my ass and lock me away until I swore to stay, and then he'd put a tail on me to make sure I stayed put."

"Then at least visit Eragon." Nasuada argued on.

Murtagh's hand clenched into a fist before he could stop himself. He swore under his breath and forced himself to calm down.

"Do you think visiting the kid will make me stay?" Murtagh shook his head. "Listen Nas, he might have finally found the happiness I wanted for him. I'm not going to go and ruin that for him."

He stepped around her before she could say another word and started to walk towards the door.

"He looks just like you!" Nasuada called after him.

Murtagh slowly turned around. He met her eyes without flinching.

"What?"

"He does." She repeated. "Arya and I ran into him and Eragon a few days ago. He looks almost exactly like you."

Murtagh blinked. He crocked an eyebrow slowly.

"Be that as it may, I'm not going to cause Rider more unhappiness." He said gruffly. "And I have to go before anyone catches me. You'll hear from me later."

"But Murtagh!"

But he was already gone.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(07.26 PM – Tuesday 4__th__ of November. Inside Thorn's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Thorn was fuming. And he was willing to bet that his first gray hairs would come from worrying over Murtagh so much, not that the bastard deserved it.

A gentle knocking brought him out of his thoughts.

"Come in."

He didn't bother to get up and open the door. It could only be one person after all.

"Thorn, are you alright?"

Thorn sighed. He heard the door click shut and looked up. An instant later Saphira was by his side and was running a comforting hand through his hair. He closed his eyes.

"He visited. The damn prick came to the station, and he didn't as much as say hello to the rest of us." He growled.

Saphira's hand paused for a second before going back to the gentle caressing.

"How do you know?" She asked softly.

"Nasuada told me. She said that he had called her and asked her to meet him. They met right under our noses!" Thorn exclaimed angrily.

Saphira started to make soft shushing sounds, and strangely enough Thorn could feel himself calm down.

"I just..."

"You wish he could have stopped by." She finished.

Thorn just grunted in agreement.

"But I think he knew what you would have done then, and therefore chose not to." Saphira said gently. "I don't agree with him, coming all this way just to see one person and not the rest of you, but I think he had his reasons."

Thorn growled in the back of his throat.

"He's a moron." He stated darkly.

"That he is." Saphira agreed. "But did you know that it was he who called to let us know that Eragon was in danger?"

Thorn blinked. His surprise must have shown on his face as Saphira merely continued on.

"I recognized his voice later. And when Eragon told me that Murtagh actually had called to congratulate him, I asked to hear the message. It was definitely him." She paused. "I don't think he's as far away from Carvahall as he's pretending to be."

Thorn frowned. In some strange way, that made sense. Murtagh had strong connections to the city, even before he had gotten any friends there. And now his connections to Carvahall just seemed even stronger. But while there was something troubling Thorn still; he wasn't going to share the other news Nasuada had given him to Saphira. He didn't want her to worry even more, even if she was a part of why Murtagh seemed unable to fully leave.

"But he is still a bastard."

Thorn shook himself out of his thoughts. He grunted and his joints cracked as he flexed his fingers. Saphira flinched slightly beside him.

"Tell me more about Eragon's suitor." He spoke suddenly.

"Yes... because that's not random at all." Saphira drawled.

"Something Murtagh said had me thinking." Thorn offered as an explanation.

Saphira gave him a strange look, but proceeded.

"Well, he's finally gotten Eragon to say yes to a date. So Thursday night will be Eragon's official first date. Really, the others don't count." She laughed. "He only realised they had been dates when the guys tried to kiss him good night."

Thorn chuckled.

"But he said yes?" The redhead asked quietly.

"Yeah." Saphira replied just as softly. "I think he might actually be giving up."

Thorn swore.

"And Murtagh was happy about this? Happy my ass." Thorn growled. "He should be seething with jealousy!"

"Maybe he is? You're always complaining about the so-called fact that he's a masochist. Well, maybe he actually is. And maybe everything he's doing is to punish himself?"

The redhead crocked an eyebrow. He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly.

"I love your mind." He said and smirked.

"I should hope so." Saphira mock-huffed.

Thorn laughed.

"Why do I get the feeling that he asked to meet with Nasuada for some work related business?" Saphira asked softly.

"Because he did." Thorn replied with a sigh. "But I can't tell you what. The idiot won't even let us in on his grand scheme. We're just supposed to wait for him to call and then rush to the rescue."

The blonde let out a soft laugh.

"Paranoid isn't he?" She commented.

"And protective. He's pursuing some really bad people, Saph, and I don't think he heard about them by accident. I think that this is the final part on his revenge list." Thorn licked his lips. "And after this it'll all be over. Or so we can hope. Morzan has a bucket-load of enemies just waiting to get a shot at his heir."

Saphira sighed sadly. Thorn circled his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. She buried her face into his chest and somehow suddenly seemed very small.

"Things are never going to work out, are they?" She whispered brokenly.

"Of course they are." Thorn said and snorted. "We're not going to let Murtagh be an asshole after everything's over and done with."

"... But what if Eragon actually falls for Baldor? What then?"

Thorn looked at the wall in front of him and gritted his teeth together. He tightened his grip around his girlfriend and tried to control his inner turmoil.

"Then Murtagh gets what he wants, and he'll be alone forever." Thorn said bitterly. "And I don't know if I'll be able to stop him then."

Saphira pressed herself even tighter against him. Thorn rested his chin on top of her head and sighed. He had never hated Murtagh more than he did at that moment.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(01.37 AM – Thursday 6__th__ of November. Somewhere close to Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh scowled as he took in his surroundings. He wasn't sure if he were to believe the drunks he had run into earlier that night, but they had seemed honest enough. It always helped to shove a gun in people's face to make them splutter the truth.

He wasn't sure how he had stumbled upon his search for the Ra'zac, but the minute he had heard their name being uttered, he hadn't been able to think of anything else. Originally he had wanted some time off, some time away from the police and his friends. But it had proved a mistake to stay as close to Carvahall as he had done. Murtagh had found himself trying to resist the urge, but suddenly he had found himself visiting seedy bars after seedy bars. The fourth one he had gone to he had ordered a drink in. His eight year record of not drinking had ended that night.

It was in that bar that he had heard about the Ra'zac. Apparently they had been causing quite a lot of havoc after their master had been put behind bars. He had heard all sorts of rumours, and most of them Murtagh found himself believing. He had even called Ciljan just to be sure, and the stuttering man had confirmed it. With someone like Ciljan, who practically dealt with members of _the Forsworn_ every day, then Murtagh would never run out of secure and accurate information. Especially since he knew which buttons to push on the tattoo artist to make him spill.

So far Murtagh had managed not to get drunk, but he had had a couple of beers to keep up his appearance when he arrived at the bars. His perfected scowl had kept the hookers at bay, though he had let a smirk slip every now and then when he felt that he could milk information out of someone. It was such he had come to know that the Ra'zac were coming to Carvahall to finish Eragon off.

Murtagh had never been so angry in his life, or at least, it hadn't felt like it. He had nearly strangled the guy who had told him that to death, and he had proceeded to slam his hand into another wall that night. But still he had not gotten drunk and hadn't smoked a cigarette since the trial. So in a way, he was actually a little proud of himself.

He wasn't sure why the Ra'zac just now had decided to kill Eragon. But one thing was for certain; he wasn't going to let that happen. It was most likely that Galbatorix had somehow given them the message to kill Eragon, since the man no longer could have the kid he didn't want anyone else to have him either. Murtagh also figured that it was meant as a punishment for him; for not going back to Galbatorix when he had had the chance.

The hazel eyed man sighed. Ever since meeting Nasuada, he had started to have doubts. He knew he would have felt better with a few agents to back him up, but Murtagh knew this was something he needed to do himself. He had agreed to call her only when he needed help, and he planned to take her up on that offer. He knew he would never be able to take the Ra'zac down on his own. While they were only two, no one knew their real names and they always wore hoods. He had seen them once during his childhood and had had nightmares for months as a result. They had done things to men he didn't think had been physically possible. The twins were nothing in comparison; he hadn't lied to Nasuada about that. But the Ra'zac loved to hunt and kill out in the open, and after they had sworn loyalty to Galbatorix, he had set them free on the world. Whenever some foe of Galabtorix died mysteriously or disappeared, or an unidentifiable corpse showed up, Murtagh had always suspected the Ra'zac.

And now Murtagh was ready to hunt them down. The rumours had said that they would strike on the seventh, but that they were arriving sometime on the sixth to prepare themselves. Murtagh sneered as he thought about it. He didn't want to know what they needed to prepare, and yet he was now investigating where they could possibly go to prepare, and what they were preparing themselves for. He needed to know what he had to warn Nasuada and the rest about.

Murtagh snuck forward. All around him it was quiet. He had found an old location he knew Galbatorix had favoured, and had kept a watchful eye on it since. And just twenty minutes ago he had seen a car park outside the rundown building.

Murtagh crouched down under a window and stopped beside it. Inside it was quiet. He kept his breathing quiet and under control, and looked inside.

He swore inwardly when he couldn't see anything. He prepared himself to go to the next window when he saw something moving. He clenched his eyes shut and practically melted into the wall beside him. A minute later he opened his eyes and peaked inside the window.

While his vision was still poor, he could see better now. There were definitely two people moving around inside the room. His eyes scanned the room, looking for anything that could be used to kill someone. He swore again when all he could see were weapons or a killing device of some kind. He had definitely found their current nest.

He was about to back away when he saw one of the Ra'zac hold something up. The other nodded his hooded head and wrote something down. Murtagh squinted and tried to make out what the Ra'zac was holding up. When he did he bit his tongue from swearing out loud.

Apparently they weren't going to leave things up to chances this time. Murtagh promptly turned around and fled the scene.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(06.11 PM – Thursday 6__th__ of November. Inside the local cinema in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

"So, what movie did you want to see?"

Eragon snapped out of his thoughts. He grinned sheepishly and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"I dunno. Wasn't it you who said there was a new one going that looked promising?" Eragon asked mock suspiciously.

Baldor laughed. He started to point at the posters, but Eragon didn't really pay attention to what he was saying. He was too busy staring at Baldor to really notice that they were moving.

Eragon wasn't completely sure why he had decided to give Baldor a chance, but so far he hadn't regretted it. After all, it was Murtagh who had urged him to find someone else. Eragon scowled slightly. Well, now he was trying to, but it didn't help that whenever Baldor laughed or smiled, he constantly heard someone else's laughter or saw a familiar smirk. He was haunted by the man's image wherever he walked.

"... Does that sound okay?" Baldor asked and Eragon was once again shaken back to the present.

"Yeah." Eragon said and nodded his head.

Baldor crocked an eyebrow but didn't comment. Eragon swore inwardly. Apparently his daydreaming hadn't passed by unnoticed.

"Are you alright there, Eragon?" The older man asked quietly.

The brunet sighed. He watched Baldor purchase both tickets, something he had said that Baldor didn't have to do but the other had insisted, and waited for them to get out of the line. Baldor handed him his ticket and he murmured a soft thanks.

"I'm fine, really." The brunet said in answer to the earlier question. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"You know we don't have to do this if -"

"No, I want to." Eragon interrupted. "Don't worry about me."

"You make it hard not to." Baldor said and raised an eyebrow. "People can't stop worrying about you, it seems."

The brunet smiled sadly.

"Yeah, I know."

Baldor looked to be kicking himself. He steered Eragon in the direction of the kiosk and started to talk about the movie they were going to see. Eragon blocked that out to.

"Yo, Eragon." Baldor sighed. "You're making a pretty good impression of not wanting to be here."

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Eragon exclaimed. "I just... um... where were you?"

The other shook his head.

"Snacks? Do you want some?" He asked.

Eragon nodded his head and started to head toward his usual shelves. Baldor followed behind him. He moved to take something down from the nearest shelf when Baldor leaned into whisper something in his ear.

"You're thinking about _him_, aren't you?"

Eragon stiffened. He took down the small bag and turned around.

"Who?" He asked.

"It's not like I haven't gotten the comment before." Baldor said and sighed. "I know Morann and I look like twins. You could have told me he was the jerk that broke your heart."

Eragon clutched the bag to his chest and looked away. He clenched his jaw not to say anything inappropriate.

"It didn't matter. He's a jerk, a jerk I'm getting over." Eragon met the other's eyes firmly. "Would you have given up on me if I had said it was Morann?"

"No, probably not." Baldor said and shrugged. "But I wouldn't have pushed so hard. Morann tends to leave people behind heartbroken."

Eragon felt something clench within him. He flinched and moved around Baldor to walk to the register.

"Oh, not like that, Eragon!" Baldor said urgently. "Morann has this quality, drawing people in despite his bastard appearance. But he never shows anyone any interest, and therefore breaks the hearts of people who thought they could 'change him'."

The brunet snorted. He grabbed a chocolate bar from the shelf beside him and let his hair hang in front of his eyes.

"I know." He said brokenly. "The only difference is that I didn't want to change him. The only person that can change someone is themselves."

Eragon laid the snacks onto the counter and paid the cheerful teenager. He gave her a strained smile before walking out of the kiosk.

"I'm sorry; I obviously shouldn't have brought this up." Baldor said and groaned. "I always screw things up."

"You didn't screw up." Eragon protested softly. "Well, not too badly."

Baldor snorted.

"Yeah, right. I've ruined the date and it hasn't even started yet." He drawled.

"The movie hasn't started yet, don't be so hasty." Eragon said and grinned sheepishly. "This might still turn out alright."

"You don't even know what we're watching." Baldor commented dryly.

"... I like to be surprised?"

Baldor laughed at the sheepish look Eragon gave him. The brunet breathed an inward sigh of relief. After all, if there was anyone who had ruined the date, it had been him. Him and his blasted inability to stop thinking about Murtagh.

"Alright, whatever you say." Baldor said and smirked. "Now, let's go and catch that movie."

Eragon protested loudly when Baldor ruffled his hair. The older laughed and proceeded to direct Eragon to the entrance. Neither noticed the man watching their every move.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(07.38 PM – Thursday 6__th__ of November. Somewhere in Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh cursed loudly. He packed his bags in a hurry, though he carefully made sure not to leave anything behind. He checked and rechecked everything, even though it pained him to do so. While he was in a hurry, he would rather be late than to leave a trace that could be used to track him down.

Nodding to himself he slung the large bag over his shoulder, the messenger bag over his other shoulder and picked up the small plastic bag before leaving the room. He merely tossed the keys to the hotel manager before walking out of the hotel. He had already paid for the room, there was no need to stay behind and exchange false pleasantries.

Murtagh flung his things into the car before pulling out of the parking lot and driving away. He didn't have a lot of time. Even though he was barely an hour away from Carvahall, he didn't know when the Ra'zac were going to strike. He needed to get back fast in order for his plan to work.

The hazel eyed man fished the phone out of his pocket and dialled Nasuada's number. Silently thankful for the ear piece he had, he put it away as the phone began to ring.

"_Hello?_"

"It's Murtagh." Murtagh said shortly. "Listen -"

"_No, you listen!_" The voice screeched angrily.

Murtagh swore. That was not Nasuada.

"Arya, calm down." He said slowly. "I need to talk to Nasuada, preferably now."

"_Oh no, you won't._" Arya growled. "_You're getting your ass back here this instant! Have you been getting any of our messages? I -_"

"I need to talk to Nasuada, now." He said sternly. "It's urgent."

Arya turned silent. Murtagh gritted his teeth as he waited for her reply.

"_You're actually serious. Oh God, what have you done now?_" Arya asked worriedly. "_Nasuada!_"

Murtagh sighed. He knew Arya would notice his use of the word 'urgent'. He never did unless it was in fact urgent.

"I can't talk right now, Arya. All I can say is that I'm coming home."

Arya fell silent. Murtagh waited for Nasuada to come to the phone and swore to himself. He needed to tell Arya to answer the phone more properly, so he wouldn't give himself away like he had just done, and he needed to analyse someone's voice before he started to blab. He growled quietly.

"_Murtagh?_"

"I found them." He said shortly, cutting off whatever she had been about to say. "I assume Rider has tails on him twenty-four seven. Well, you need to double them. And how about giving him a bullet proof vest, just to be sure?"

Nasuada was silent for a moment. Murtagh took a right and tried to keep his breathing and voice even. He hated being as rattled up as he currently was.

"_Murtagh, what do you know?_" She said quietly. "_Don't shut me out like this. You don't have to carry this burden alone._"

Murtagh drove past a far too slow car and scowled. He refrained from answering.

"_When are they going to strike?_" Nasuada asked in defeat.

"Tomorrow. I don't know when and I don't know where, but it'll be tomorrow." He said darkly. "Have someone check out every place they can plant a bomb, every place they can shoot him from, and most of all, double his frigging guards!"

Nasuada laughed sadly.

"_You really care about him, don't you? Must you see him threatened for the third time before you actually submit to your feelings?_" She asked softly.

"What feelings? I'm an uncaring bastard, remember?" Murtagh drawled sarcastically.

"_You tell yourself that. But you'll see... things are soon going to change._"

Murtagh snorted and didn't comment.

"_Be careful._" She said firmly. "_Or I will have you killed._"

Murtagh smirked.

"You know me; I can't help but to jump in front of bullets. It's in my nature." He said and let out a quiet laugh.

"_I mean it, Murtagh. If you get hurt somehow, I won't be the only one rushing to give you the lecture you so sorely deserve._" Nasuada warned him.

Murtagh laughed loudly. He said goodbye and hung up. Oh, he believed her alright. He believed her just fine.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(08.42 PM – Thursday 6__th__ of November. Outside the local cinema in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon walked out of the cinema with a laugh on his lips. The movie had been nothing short of awful. It had in fact been so bad that he and Baldor had spent the entire time badmouthing the actors, the plot, or certain scenes. But that was what had made Eragon stay. He had actually had fun. And as Baldor threw an arm around his shoulder, still chuckling into his ear, he concluded that the date hadn't been such a waste after all.

"I have to ask... you said that the movie had gotten good reviews?" Eragon drawled.

"Apparently." Baldor snorted. "I forgot that you're never supposed to trust critiques. They can't find a good movie even if it came and bit them in the ass."

Eragon laughed in agreement.

"What do you say about going for a walk? I could walk you home even, if you'll let me." Baldor asked with a slight hint of hesitation in his voice.

The brunet bit his lip. He had to admit he hadn't had so much uninterrupted fun in a long time. He sighed and nodded. Baldor positively glowed and began to lead him down the street. Eragon shoved him away with a slight grin on his face. Baldor pouted before letting out a loud amused laugh. Eragon grinned.

"So, tell me a bit about yourself."

Eragon tilted his head. He slouched slightly as he tried to find an answer that wouldn't send them back into a heavy and saddened conversation.

"You already know how old I am and that I live with Saphira, so I don't know what else to say." Eragon shrugged. "My parents are dead, my only relative lives in Teirm and we rarely get to see each other anymore. I'm actually glad he lives so far away. With everything that has happened..."

Baldor winced. Their walk slowed slightly.

"How is it that I don't know when to shut up?" Eragon said and forced a laugh. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright." Baldor said softly. "A lot of shit has happened to you, it's hard to get around it."

"Tell me a bit about yourself instead." Eragon said and bit his lip again.

"Alright." The dark haired male furrowed his brow in thought. "I'm twenty-two and as you know I live with my brother. It's actually my place, but he's crashing there until he gets his girlfriend to forgive him. They're pretty much going on and off more often than people change their socks."

Eragon snorted in amusement. Baldor sent him a wink.

"The reason I live close to the station is because my dad wants me to join the force someday." Baldor continued soberly. "I told him no. But I still live close by because the rent is low and my family is pretty much all around me, I figured so why not."

"Why are you taking Psych?" Eragon asked.

"I want to be a criminal psychologist." Baldor answered easily. "And I wanted to start from scratch before going to the Academy."

Eragon nodded softly.

"How about you?"

"... Because I have no idea what I want to be." The brunet admitted sheepishly.

Baldor let out a bark like laugh.

"I wasn't very cocky when I was your age either." He said with a wink. "You'll figure it out soon enough, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks." Eragon said and grinned.

They continued to chat until the shops began to decrease and several apartment complexes started to rise around them. Eragon didn't even realise they had come to his street until he recognized the park he and Saphira loved to spend the summer in.

"Wow, time flies." He commented softly.

"It sure does." Baldor agreed.

A minute later they reached Eragon's building. Eragon suddenly felt nervous. He knew what was coming next. Or at least, he had a feeling. He moved away from the other slightly, as they had been walking very closely together, and sent him a tentative smile.

"I would say this date, despite the beginning, didn't turn out to be a complete disaster." Baldor said and grinned. "Nervousness can make you say the strangest things after all."

"What, you were nervous?" Eragon asked puzzled.

Baldor had looked so calm throughout the entire date.

"Of course!" He exclaimed. "Some just know how to hide it."

Eragon blushed slightly. He wasn't one of those who knew how to do just that.

Baldor laughed and moved a step closer. The blush in Eragon's cheeks deepened. His heart jumped into his throat as Baldor started to lean down. His eyes widened in shock as a simple kiss was planted on his cheek.

"I had a great time. But next time, if there is one, let's choose a movie more wisely." Baldor said and winked.

Eragon just nodded, too shocked to get his vocal cords to work.

Baldor chuckled quietly. He gave a small nod before turning to walk away. Eragon bit his lip and cursed quietly before stepping up to the other. Baldor blinked in surprise when Eragon tapped his shoulder.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" The brunet asked and lifted an eyebrow, though there was still a hint of red on his cheeks.

Baldor looked shocked. He shook it away and smirked. Eragon gulped as the other moved down once again and this time landed a soft kiss on his lips. The brunet felt his heartbeat quicken and gently returned the kiss. Baldor slowly reached out to cup the back of his neck before deepening the kiss. Eragon closed his eyes and opened his mouth under the touch.

The kiss was pleasant, sure. But there was something that seemed off somehow. Eragon ignored the voice whispering in the back of his mind and let out a small gasp when Baldor moved away. Baldor landed one final kiss on his lips before pulling away entirely.

"Good night, Eragon." Baldor smirked and waved as he walked away.

Eragon waved back, biting his lip softly as he did so. While his heart had quickened, it wasn't the same. It hadn't scorched his soul and left him craving for more. Baldor was a decent kisser, Eragon would give him that. But his soul had been marked long ago, and even at that moment his mind hadn't forgotten that mark. The kiss had left him wanting and craving for more... but not for Baldor's touch, for someone else's.

The brunet cursed, flushing in anger at his own mind's betrayal. He stomped inside the building, more than ready to fling himself onto his bed and sleep the rest of the night away. Stupid mind that didn't know when to shut up, stupid memories that kept popping up, stupid heart that reminded him of the touch he craved for. And stupid _him_ that made him crave all those things in the first place!

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(09.28 AM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Outside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

The figure watched as the brunet stepped out of the building and slung his bag over his shoulder. The brunet then proceeded to walk down the sidewalk and toward the bus stop not five minutes away. The figure watched as a man with today's paper under his arm began to walk the same way. The figure's eyes flickered up to the roof and saw two men watching the brunet's movements.

The figure hissed in displeasure. Someone had known of his arrival. He slipped back into the shadows and quickly made his way toward the car that was waiting for him. As the car quietly drove down the road, another figure stepped out.

Murtagh scowled. He pulled his hood up and walked in the opposite direction of the brunet. He had to get on the bus at a different station.

Ten minutes later he approached the stop just as the bus pulled off the road. Murtagh briskly walked up to it and stepped on. Then he found a seat in the back, adjusted his bag, and sat down. He fished out a book of his bag and started to read.

Murtagh looked up just in time as he saw a familiar man step onto the bus, a newspaper under his arm. He looked back at his book and could see the brunet step onto the bus out of the corner of his eye. But no one suspicious stepped on. So far so good.

Ten to ten the bus slowed to a stop. Murtagh stood up and stepped off the bus along with several other students. He made sure his hood was still up before he started to walk down campus. His eyes flickered around; looking for any place the Ra'zac might be hiding. He noted to his pleasure that all the trees were bare. That meant fewer places for them to hide. Even better.

Murtagh made sure to keep an eye on the brunet as he walked up to the college. His heart rate was escalating slightly, though his breathing remained calm. He looked in both directions and had to keep himself from jumping when he noticed something on top of the library. He swore.

The hazel eyed man adjusted his grip on the bag and began to walk faster. Time was crucial. He swore out loud when he noticed that the brunet was nearing the statue in the middle of campus. He upped his speed one more notch and stepped to walk on the brunet's right side. His footing slipped slightly as white hot pain shot through him. He flinched and bumped into the brunet.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(09.53 AM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Outside Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon stumbled as he felt someone bump into him. He pulled off his headphones and turned.

"Hey, watch it -"

Eragon felt the words leave him. His eyes widened as he took in the man that had bumped into him.

"Murtagh?" He breathed.

"... No." The man laughed. "Baldor, remember?"

"Oh." Eragon blushed.

Damn, not again! Wherever he went he saw Murtagh!

"I'm sorry about that." Baldor said and adjusted his grip on the bag.

Eragon felt his eyes lock on the bag. Baldor... hadn't used that one before, had he? So what? People were allowed to change bags. He was getting paranoid. But Baldor hadn't worn a hood before either. But it did look like it could start to rain at any moment...

"No, it's fine. I didn't see you on the bus..." Eragon frowned.

"I drove here." Baldor said and grinned. "My brother let me borrow the car. Compensation for helping him out."

Eragon just nodded softly. He tried not to concentrate on Baldor's face, but he couldn't help himself. The hood cast a shadow over his eyes, but he could still see them clearly enough. And his voice seemed different somehow. But it couldn't be... no, it had to be Baldor.

"Okay." Eragon muttered, and then shook his head as he remembered where he was. "Ah, shit! Come on, we need to hurry, or we'll be late."

Eragon moved forward and jumped slightly when Baldor hurried to walk by his side. The other flinched again and nearly stumbled.

"Are you alright?" The brunet asked worriedly.

Baldor looked awfully pale. He nodded sharply and continued to walk beside him. Eragon bit his lip and continued to walk up the steps to the door. He reached the arch that was build over the doorway and was about to walk under it when Baldor stopped. The brunet turned to face him.

"I just remembered... I left something in the car. You go ahead, I'll catch up." Baldor said and waved him on.

Eragon took a few steps back and toward the door, but still didn't walk inside. Baldor slouched to one side and his smiled almost painfully. Eragon was tempted to reach out to see if he was alright.

"... If you're sure." Eragon murmured uncertainly.

Baldor just grinned and walked back down the stairs. Eragon watched him go with a small lump in his throat. He stayed one more second to see that Baldor was indeed walking towards the cars before going inside. The other was acting really strangely. Eragon shook his head and unzipped his jacket. He could ask Baldor what was going on during break.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(10.02 AM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Outside Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh laughed hysterically as he walked down the path. He reached up and brushed his hand against the ear piece. His phone immediately dialled the programmed number.

"They're on the roof of the campus library." Murtagh said as the phone was picked up. "You've got to hurry, or they'll escape."

"_Murtagh, where are you?_" Nasuada asked worriedly.

"Forget about me for one second and get them!" Murtagh barked. "I can take care of myself. They're on the roof facing the campus. There's a hidden exit in the back. Go already!"

He hung up before Nasuada could comment further. He continued to walk and smiled grimly as he saw Eragon's tails move toward the library. Murtagh had to admit that they were pretty good. He looked up and saw the Ra'zac slip out of sight. Damn, they were already moving! Hopefully the others were going to catch them on the way down.

His footing slipped again and he let out a pained groan. He gently let his hand ghost over his left side. He flinched and walked off campus. He had found one wound.

Murtagh spat curse after curse as he continued to walk. He let his right hand ghost over the left side of his back and yelled out when he found two more wounds. Well, at least he had found them all.

Another hysterical laugh escaped him as he pulled out his phone and dialled another number. He checked out the street number and memorized it.

"_911, what's your emergency?_" A mock-pleasant female voice answered.

Murtagh had to force himself not to laugh.

"I'm on the corner of Old Street and Partesh Road. I just got shot." He said calmly into the ear piece.

"_Sir?_"

"Didn't you hear me? I've been shot!" Murtagh exclaimed. "My name is Sergant Murtagh Morann, I've been off duty for about a month now, and I need an ambulance stat! That is, unless you want to inform Captain Black that I died because you were too incompetent to listen."

"_Sir, I need you to calm down. An ambulance is on the way._" The voice said, and Murtagh noted to his pleasure that she no longer sounded as calm.

"Good. I'd hate to die out here."

"_Sir, I need you to talk to me. Do you know who shot you?_" The woman asked.

"Of course I do." Murtagh snorted. "And if you want to know, contact Detective Nasuada Black. She'll be bringing in the suspects in about fifteen minutes."

He winced and felt his knees start to give out.

"And I've got to go now. That ambulance better be coming, because I'll have fainted in about twenty seconds." Murtagh said darkly and cut off the call just in time to hear the woman's protests.

Murtagh coughed and felt panic rise in him when he coughed up blood.

"Bloody Ra'zac. They have too good aim." He spat.

Two seconds later his knees gave out and he fell to the floor. A sharp laugh left him as new pain started to shoot up his body. Of course, none was worse than he was already feeling, but that was another matter.

He blacked out just in time to hear the slight hint of sirens approaching.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(11.01 AM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Inside Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

"Hey Baldor, what was up with you this morning?" Eragon asked softly, careful to make sure he didn't sound too rude.

Baldor looked up in shock.

"What was what this morning?" He asked confused.

"You know, the thing with you leaving something in your brother's car..." The brunet said sheepishly.

"I came by bus." Baldor said and lifted an eyebrow. "Albreich wouldn't let me near that car even if I begged."

Eragon felt thoroughly confused.

"But you bumped into me outside and you said -" He protested.

"I'm sorry Eragon, but I didn't see you until I came in here." The other said and shrugged. "Are you sure it wasn't someone else?"

Eragon opened his mouth to respond negatively when the man's face flashed before his eyes. His eyes widened.

"Murtagh."

Baldor could only open his mouth in shock as Eragon stood up in a hurry and ran out of the auditorium. His bag slapped against his leg as he ran, but he didn't care. He ran out of the doors and practically jumped down the stairs. He didn't even have time to search for the missing sergeant before he noticed that something else was amiss.

"They must have hit someone here." A CSI said and pointed to small pools of drying blood on the ground. "We haven't heard anything about a student being admitted to the hospital yet, though."

"Keep in touch with every hospital just in case." Ajihad said gruffly, his eyes never leaving the small blood pools before him.

Eragon swallowed and tasted bile. He slowly stepped forward.

"Hey, you can't be here!" The CSI said and moved forward to lead Eragon away.

Ajihad turned around and his eyes widened as he saw Eragon.

"Let him through." The Captain said and stepped forward. "Eragon?"

"Murtagh... he was here. I saw him, I talked to him. He was here!!" Eragon said hysterically. "What's going on?!"

"We just stopped another attempt on your life." Ajihad said gravely. "The people who have been trying to kill you were on top of the roof and were trying to shoot you. It looks like they hit someone else... What is this about Morann?"

"Murtagh, he was here!! He -" Eragon paused. "He bumped into me."

Ajihad frowned. He reached out and Eragon felt a hand grasp his shoulder. He knew that Ajihad was talking to him, but the words wouldn't reach his ears. His eyes wouldn't stop staring at the small pool in front of him.

"Sir! We just got a call from C. General." An officer breathed as he skidded to a halt beside the Captain. "They've just admitted Morann with gun shots wounds."

Eragon was suddenly thrown back into the real world. He promptly doubled over and retched.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(11.24 AM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Inside Thorn's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Thorn shot up as his phone went off. He groaned and slowly got to his feet. He had a late shift that day, why was someone calling him now?! Someone was definitely going to get themselves yelled at.

Thorn growled as he found the phone and lifted it to his ear.

"Yes?" He answered darkly.

Well, he needed to know who it was before he started to curse them seven ways to hell and back.

"_Thorn, its Nasuada._" Nasuada choked. "_Murtagh's in surgery. He just got shot._"

The phone slipped out of his grasp and fell to the floor. Two minutes later Thorn was out of the apartment and was running to his car.

* * *

**A/N** You know what, never mind me begging for my life in chapter six; **this** is where I beg ya all not to kill me! :discreetly slides under her desk: Please forgive me!

I know that you have several reasons to hate me. One; the cliffhanger. Two; Murtagh just lied in Eragon's face and Eragon, the idiot, bought it. Three; Murtagh comes back like that only to possibly... what? Die/go into a coma/run off again if he survives? Well, just what happens to him you'll have to wait to find out in the next chapter.

Now, I have some news that may make you want to forgive me. Thanks to my exams being over and done with, I'll be able to update this next week or the week after that, meaning that you don't have to wait a long time for the next chapter.

Other than that, Happy almost Holidays people! Do you know what that means? I'll be updating weekly again! I'm still a little torn between what I'm going to update when, but this is what you can expect from me: **1.** Another _Black Mist_ chapter; **2.** An _Obsession_ chapter; **3.** The first chapter in a three-shot Murtagh oriented story; **4.** A B-Day gift fic for a very dear friend of mine; **5.** Possibly another story, I'm not sure yet.

So, that's a lot of Xmas goodies, isn't it?

And I have more good news! It seems that _BM_ wasn't done with me just yet. The final (and this time I mean it) chapter of _BM_ is hereby finished. This means that _BM_ will be finished with 11 standing chapters. Not too shabby, huh?

Also, I have an announcement to make. I have been thinking about changing Axel's name for some time now. It won't be a huge change; just from "Axel" to "Aksel". I was just thinking that, partly because Aksel is the version of Axel's name that's used in my country, it fits more in with C.P's characters. Axel has fit so far, yes, but I feel that Aksel would fit better because it's more Germanic. So, after talking to one of my betas (to get a second opinion) I've decided to go ahead and do it. I'll change Axel's name one story at the time and hope to be done by new years. If you want to leave a comment about my choice, go ahead.

And... that is all I had to say this time around. Boy, I'm awfully chatty after exams, aren't I? Hehe.

**Police Speak:**

_Stat_ – Right away, now, quickly

_Tails_ – police agents that are shadowing a target; which could be either a victim or a perpetrator

_CSI_ - short for Crime Scene Inspector(s), the people that do all the forensic work on a crime scene

_C. General_ – short for Carvahall General Hospital


	9. Trialled

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Slash/Yaoi – meaning guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action.

**A/N** Hello, and welcome to the ninth part of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and we ask you all to once again buckle up, keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride and to hopefully enjoy the update. You should proceed by reading the rest of this note before reading the chapter. Thank you in advance.

A huge thanks to everyone who reads, reviews and otherwise express their like of this story. A special thanks to **dragonrider713** who has helped me tremendously with this story.

I'm afraid I have bad news now, however. Those who have read my profile know that my net hasn't been very reliable lately. It's working right now, but I don't know if it will tomorrow. I can check my mail on the family computer, but that's it. So, until the Internet problem has been fixed permanently, I'll be taking a break from reading, reviewing, uploading and replying. This means that I won't update any fics until the problem has been fixed as well. I'm sorry. Hopefully I'll be back soon.

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Nine; Trialled**

_(11.37 AM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Inside Carvahall General Hospital in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon was numb. He didn't know what to feel, but had a feeling he should be panicking, crying, screaming; anything. But strangely enough he felt nothing, nothing but the dull throbbing of his heart.

Ajihad had taken one look at the officer that had given him the news before dragging Eragon into a police car and driven them to the hospital. A few minutes later Nasuada, Thorn and Saphira had arrived. Nasuada had told him that Arya and Vanir had gotten hurt while trying to capture the Ra'zac, but that they would be there shortly.

Saphira sat beside him in the waiting room. Eragon had heard her call someone a few minutes ago, but he didn't know who. Maybe Aksel? The blond wasn't there after all.

Ajihad had been speaking to various doctors and nurses ever since they had gotten there. Eragon hadn't paid too much attention to him, being too caught up in his own hollow world.

"Any news?" Nasuada asked half-hysterically.

Eragon blinked drowsily and looked up. Ajihad stood before them with a grave look on his face, his skin paler than what could be considered normal.

"They don't know how much longer he'll be in surgery; apparently it doesn't look good." Ajihad said gravely.

Nasuada let out a small sob. Thorn was instantly by her side and hugged her. Eragon looked at them and noticed the tenseness in Thorn's shoulders. The redhead was worried as well.

"He was shot three times, once in his left side and twice in the back. The bullets in his back are the most concerning ones." Ajihad said in a hoarse voice. "The first bullet slipped right past his vital organs thankfully. But the other two ventured a little too closely to his heart."

Nasuada's sobs got even louder. Saphira tightened her hold around Eragon's arm and sniffled. Eragon reached out and hugged her. She clutched onto him in return.

"They..." The Captain trailed off.

"Yes?" Thorn said huskily.

"They don't know if he'll make it."

Nasuada started to sob for real. Even Saphira started to shed tears. Thorn clenched his jaw and Eragon saw a tear leak from his eye.

"That, that stubborn asshole!" Nasuada sobbed. "I told him not to go alone, and he, he still went!"

"It's not your fault." Thorn murmured softly.

"Damn well it is!" She shrieked. "If I could have convinced him somehow..."

"You couldn't have." Thorn said sternly. "Murtagh is the epitome of stubbornness."

Nasuada hid her face in his chest and sobbed.

"Eragon, are you alright?" Ajihad asked gruffly.

Eragon looked up and blinked. He opened his mouth, but no words came to his mind. He sighed instead.

"I... I don't know." He murmured softly.

Saphira hugged him tighter. She opened her mouth to speak, but the arrival of another figure interrupted her.

"Bloody hell and shit, I just heard what happened!" Aksel said and panted, clearly having run over there. "Is it true?"

Eragon just nodded.

"The fucking moron." Aksel sighed. "Always have to do stuff himself, doesn't he?"

Nasuada sobbed in answer.

"Well, he'll make it out of this, no worries." The blond said and sat down beside Saphira.

"He might not." Ajihad said then, his lips stretched thin as he stood before them.

"Wha? Oh fuck, please be kidding!" Aksel piped up.

Ajihad shook his head morosely.

Aksel ruffled two hands through his hair and swore loudly. The old couple on the bench further down glared at him in disapproval.

"Sorry, too busy praying that we don't lose a friend over here to care." Aksel told them dryly.

The woman sniffed and looked away.

"Fuck, do Arya and Vanir know?" Aksel asked with a frown.

"They're still getting patched up." Ajihad said and shook his head.

"I'll go." Aksel said and stood up stiffly. "I ought to go and visit mah boyfriend anyway."

Eragon watched him go, still feeling numb and empty inside. He sighed.

"And yo, someone should snap 'Agon out of the shock he's in!" Aksel called out as he walked away.

Several people stared after him in shock, but Aksel simply moved along. Eragon felt himself being shaken, but he just blinked in answer. There was only a void inside of him, a void sucking him dry of any and all emotions.

Saphira tried to get him to talk, but he had nothing to say. She tried to get him to look at her, but he didn't want to move.

A few minutes later someone crouched down before him and cupped his chin. Eragon allowed their eyes to meet.

"Eragon, are you alright?"

Eragon didn't know how he could have mistaken Murtagh for being Baldor. Baldor had much shorter hair and it fell into his eyes, unlike Murtagh's. Baldor's face was softer and his eyes were gray, for fucks sake.

"Eragon?" Baldor called softly.

Saphira got out of her seat, and Baldor took it with a small nod of gratitude. Eragon felt her sit down on his other side. Baldor never let go of his chin, always making sure their eyes stayed locked.

Eragon couldn't stop the meeting with 'Baldor' from playing inside his mind. And as he let his mind drift, he remembered when he had met Ajihad later. Blood, there had been blood on the ground. Eragon's eyes widened. Murtagh had gotten shot when he had been with him. He had watched Murtagh get shot! Not once, not twice, but three times!! Three times Murtagh had taken a bullet for him, not counting the last time that seemed so long ago, and now Murtagh could be dying.

Something inside Eragon broke. A choked sob left his lips and the tears built in his eyes. Baldor was instantly there, pulling him into his embrace and lap. Eragon clutched onto him, desperate for anything to keep him anchored to the reality. Even if he wanted to forget that reality, he knew he couldn't.

And so Eragon broke down and cried.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(02.18 PM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Inside Carvahall General Hospital in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Saphira had been unable to take her eyes away from Eragon ever since he had started to cry. His tears had finally stopped and he had fallen asleep. He now rested across the bench with his head in Baldor's lap. Eragon would occasionally let out a soft sob or start to shake, and Baldor would try his best to calm him down.

Nasuada had calmed down herself once Arya had finally arrived. The two girls had talked quietly together before falling silent. Nasuada however would occasionally shed a tear. Arya simply looked tired, and even though the nasty cut to her side made her look even more tired, Saphira could see that it was the sadness that was truly bringing her down.

Aksel and Vanir hadn't stuck around, mostly because someone on the team had to watch the Ra'zac get interrogated. Ajihad had left as well, though he had let them know he would be back. If something happened, then the doctors were to talk to Thorn. And Saphira could see that that responsibility was putting a heavy load on Thorn's shoulders. She had tried the best she could to help him cope, but Thorn was pretty much lost in his own world.

Saphira walked back to the group with Nasuada by her side. They had been down to the hospital cafeteria and had brought something to eat and drink. It wasn't likely that anyone had an appetite, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

The blond sighed sadly as they approached the group. Nasuada sent her an understanding look and took the bags out of her hands. Saphira nodded in gratitude and walked over to Eragon. The brunet was still sleeping, but looked just as heartbroken asleep as he had done awake.

"How is he?" She asked Baldor quietly.

"He hasn't cried out for nearly a half hour." Baldor replied. "I hope that's a good sign."

Saphira nodded absentmindedly. She walked over to Thorn and gently put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up but barely acknowledged her. She bit her lip and sat down. Nasuada, who was passing around the food and drink, gave her a cup of hot tea. She took it and murmured her thanks.

"Um, Saphira, could I talk to you for a second?"

Saphira looked up. Baldor stood before her. She sharply looked over to Eragon. Baldor's jacket was supporting his head, but he was still asleep. She looked back up and nodded. Baldor gestured for her to follow and she stood up.

"What is it, Baldor?" Saphira asked softly.

All around them people were buzzing back and forth. Doctors were saving lives, families were visiting patients, people were getting checked out and children ran around before their mothers could catch them.

"It's about Eragon." Baldor confessed.

Saphira looked up sharply. She tightened her hold around the cardboard cup and nodded for him to continue.

"He really loved Morann didn't he?" The older man asked in a near whisper.

Saphira bit her lip. Had Eragon told?

"Yeah, Eragon told me." Baldor sighed. "He popped up once and I made the connections."

"Oh." Saphira murmured. "Well..."

"You don't have to sugar coat anything." Baldor said with a half-smile. "I saw as well as you how Eragon broke down earlier."

The blue eyed girl sighed. She looked away before finding the courage to answer.

"He did." She paused. "But that's not what you want to ask me."

Baldor let out a bitter laugh.

"No. He still loves him, doesn't he?"

Saphira bit her lip. Eragon hadn't told her that he still did, but it was quite obvious.

"It's a safe bet to make." Saphira replied finally.

Baldor ran a hand through his hair and let out another sigh. Saphira couldn't help but to feel sorry for him. If it hadn't been for Murtagh, she had a sneaking feeling that Eragon would never have given Baldor a chance. Then again, if it hadn't been for Murtagh, Eragon wouldn't have needed to give Baldor a chance in the first place.

"Eragon really knows how to draw people in, huh?" The dark haired man mused out loud.

"He always has." Saphira agreed and took a small sip out of the cup.

"I don't see how anyone could have turned him away." Baldor said coldly.

Saphira frowned. Baldor met her gaze, and she suddenly realised he expected her to comment.

"Murtagh isn't just anyone. Eragon knows what Murtagh's going through, and that's why he didn't want to push him. But at the same time, Eragon doesn't want to give up on him." Saphira bit her lip, a little uncertain about what exactly she was saying.

"But Eragon knows Morann loves him, right?"

Saphira looked up in shock.

"Hey, you don't jump out in front of bullets for just anyone." Baldor said and let out a half-laugh.

"How'd you -?"

"My brother told me. He was a part of the team that shadowed Eragon. He actually saw what happened, though he didn't think Morann had gotten shot until they were told to capture the Ra'zac and he saw the blood." Baldor shuddered.

Saphira shuddered as well.

"But Eragon does know?" Baldor asked quietly, almost dejectedly.

"He knows." Saphira whispered. "But I don't see how anything can be the same after all of this. Eragon's pissed at Murtagh; Murtagh still has his head far up his ass..."

Baldor chuckled slightly.

"Ah, I'm sorry. It's just a very accurate description of Morann." He said and grinned sheepishly.

Saphira smiled in reply.

"Why did you want to know, Baldor?" She asked when he fell silent.

"Every guy wants to know if the relationship he's in has a fighting chance." Baldor said almost nonchalantly. "Oh, don't look at me like that! I won't break up with the kid now. Just... soon, very soon."

Saphira's frown softened. She gave him a sad smile.

"Oh, don't feel bad for me." Baldor said and grinned. "I'm just glad I caught on so early. If I had fallen for the kid first..."

Saphira mirrored his wince. That would indeed have been awkward.

"We should probably get back." She commented and looked back at the rest of the group.

Eragon still hadn't woken up.

"Yeah." Baldor agreed. "Listen, thanks for telling me this. And if there's anything you can do, then get those two morons together, yeah?"

"... Are you calling Eragon a moron?" Saphira found herself asking.

"Well, he can be a bit thick-headed sometimes." Baldor said and winked.

Saphira laughed softly. She didn't comment; merely let a smile grace her lips. They walked back to the others in a slow tempo. They were just within earshot when Baldor leaned down and whispered something in her ear.

"Don't forget what I said. Those two need each other."

Saphira shot him a look. He stepped away and inched toward Eragon's sleeping form.

"If they both make it out of this, I'll see what I can do." She promised.

Baldor nodded and sat down, slowly lifting Eragon's head back into his lap. The brunet let out a quiet murmur, and Saphira breathed out in relief when it wasn't from discomfort or pain.

She rubbed her eyes tiredly and sat down beside Thorn. The redhead slid an arm around her and she leaned against him.

"What did you two talk about?" He asked softly.

"If Murtagh gets out of this alive, I don't care what he says, I'm going to kick some sense into him." She told him bluntly.

Thorn looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What kind of sense? I've already vouched for 'never leave us again' and Nasuada has taken 'come to us next time'."

"I'm going to make him see that if he's willing to jump in front of bullets for Eragon, then he can bloody well give a relationship a chance." Saphira said and buried her face into his neck.

Thorn chuckled.

"I hope you succeed." He said and tightened his hold around her slightly.

Saphira sighed. She hoped she would too.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(02.45 PM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Inside Carvahall General Hospital in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon woke up slowly. His head was pounding and the sounds around him seemed muted. He knew he had fallen asleep in Baldor's arms and was surprised to feel plastic beneath him. He pushed himself up sluggishly and looked around himself.

"Ah, Eragon!"

Eragon winced when the cry went straight to his head. He pushed Saphira away gently, trying his best not to choke in her embrace.

"I don't feel so good." He murmured.

Saphira looked at him with worried eyes. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and then started to massage his temples.

"I'm just tired, Saph." Eragon assured her.

"If you say so." She murmured. "I'm sure I can find some painkillers if you need any."

"That's fine." Eragon said and sent her a tired smile. "Any news?"

"You sure you're feeling up for that?" Saphira asked worriedly.

Eragon just nodded. Saphira sighed and nodded in the direction of the doors leading to the patient rooms and operation rooms.

"Thorn's talking to the doctor right now." She said softly. "We haven't heard anything new yet. Ajihad's still stuck at the station."

Eragon redirected his gaze in the direction she had pointed. He saw Thorn talking to two doctors, one in a robe and another in clothes that suggested he had just gotten out of surgery. Eragon felt his heart speed up, and not in a good way. He was unable to see Thorn's face, as he had his back to them, and the doctors had blank masks on.

"How long's he been over there?" Eragon croaked.

"Two minutes max." Saphira sighed.

"You're up."

Eragon blinked and looked up and into Baldor's eyes. The other had a sombre look on face.

"How long have I been out?" Eragon asked him.

"Almost two hours." Baldor replied and sat down in the seat he had previously been sleeping in.

Eragon folded his hands together and clutched them so tightly it hurt. He ignored the worried gazes from either side of him and looked back at Thorn. The redhead was gesturing slightly with his hands, though he didn't look as tense as Eragon remembered from earlier.

One of the doctors nodded and gave Thorn a slip of paper. Thorn nodded before turning around. Saphira was instantly at her feet and rushing to meet him. He looped an arm around her and they walked back together.

"Well?" Nasuada asked quietly.

Eragon looked over to see her clutching Arya's hand almost painfully tight. Arya didn't seem to mind, as her grip seemed to be equally tight.

"He lost a lot of blood." Thorn started gruffly. "He thought it would be a good idea to walk away from the scene, the idiot. But he pulled through."

Nasuada sobbed in relief. Eragon felt a rush of feelings flow through him, though he couldn't identify them before they were gone. A lone tear slid down his cheek.

"They had to start him once, though, but there were no other complications." Thorn said and shifted. "He's still out from the surgery, though the doctors reckon he'll wake up later tonight."

Eragon closed his eyes and sent out a small prayer of thanks. Beside him Baldor laid a hand on his shoulder.

"They gave me his room number, but I don't think that we should all hang around there right now. For one; he's out cold, and they don't allow more than three people inside at once." Thorn sighed. "I'm staying."

"We can come back later." Arya said and pulled Nasuada to her feet. "I think we've had enough excitement for now."

Nasuada opened her mouth to protest, but a quick look from Arya shut her up.

"I have no real business staying here; I can go." Baldor said and shrugged.

Eragon turned to look at him. Baldor sent him an understanding look as he stood up.

"I... I think I need to go home and rest." Eragon spoke quietly. "I think I'll just faint if I go in there right now."

"I don't want you to be alone right now, Eragon." Saphira spoke worriedly.

"I can stay with Murtagh alone, Saph. You take care of Eragon." Thorn said and let go.

"You don't have to -"

"Eragon." Thorn interrupted. "You need someone right now."

The brunet sighed and looked away. Saphira padded over to him and gave him a small hug.

"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?" Nasuada asked quietly.

"Yeah, it's just Murtagh." Thorn laughed. "And he's out cold. I promise not to strangle him until he wakes up. You can always come back later."

Nasuada closed her mouth and nodded.

Eragon watched Thorn leave as Saphira and Baldor led him out of the hospital. Beside him he could hear Nasuada and Arya talking quietly, but their words didn't register to him. He saw Thorn walk around the corner leading to the staircases and disappear.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(06.53 PM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Inside Carvahall General Hospital in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh knew the instant he woke up that he had survived, because he was sure that dying or being dead couldn't possibly hurt this much.

He allowed his eyes to remain closed as he tried to take in his current state. His back and left side hurt like hell, and his chest ached a little. They had needed to restart him? Well, that was a first.

Without moving he tried to get a feeling of how many tubes were planted into him. It never failed after all. Whenever he got stuck at the hospital they would shove a needle in him. The back of his left hand was itching; that was needle number one. Something seemed to have been stuck into the inside of his right elbow as well. Murtagh betted that that tube provided him with whatever blood he had lost. There was something that tickled his nose. Murtagh shuddered mentally. He hated the small tube that they always put there, even if it did provide him with oxygen.

He allowed his hearing to stretch out. Yup, there was the heart monitor. There wasn't any talking inside the room, but he wasn't willing to bet that he was alone. He was however wondering who was going to yell at him first.

A slight shifting told him what he already knew; there was someone else inside the room. Murtagh sighed mentally and allowed his hand to twitch.

"Murtagh?"

Ah, Thorn. Of course it was Thorn.

"Mornin'." Murtagh croaked and opened his eyes.

"More like evening." Thorn said and sat down in the chair beside his bed. "It's close to seven."

Murtagh let out a sound of surprise. Time sure had flown by.

"How do you feel?" Thorn asked.

"Like crap." The hazel eyed man told him bluntly. "I got shot, people have rummaged around in me and they had to recharge me. How would you have felt?"

Thorn snorted.

"You worried a lot of people today." Thorn told him darkly. "If it hadn't been for the fact that you're strapped to that bed, I would have kicked your ass already."

Murtagh sighed. He felt tempted to push himself up, but he had a feeling that the stitches on his back might rip up if he did so. And if there was one thing that really hurt, then it was ripping up stitches. So he remained lying down.

"What'd I do now?" Murtagh croaked with a smirk.

Really, he needed to do something about his voice. It sounded like crap.

"Nasuada was nearly torn apart from worrying over you, Aksel actually acted his age, Arya and Vanir acted like ghosts, the Captain looked like a ghost, Saphira was more or less torn between feeling worried for you and Eragon, and Eragon..." Thorn trailed off purposely.

Murtagh sent him a glare.

"Eragon broke down. Damn you, Murtagh! Why do you always have to hurt that kid so?" The redhead asked coldly.

"I don't intentionally hurt him!" Murtagh protested loudly, not caring that his throat started to hurt. "Fuck you!"

Thorn sighed.

"What you did was low. You made Eragon think you were someone else, just so he wouldn't get shot? You could have just pulled him into safety, and no one would have needed to get hurt!"

Murtagh scowled and looked away. He knew Thorn wouldn't understand.

"The Ra'zac are damn good assassins. If the bullets hadn't hit me, then who knows who! Those bullets wouldn't have stopped moving until they hit something." Murtagh said coldly, his eyes glaring at the window on the other side of the room.

"But why did they only fire three bullets then, if they're such good assassins?" Thorn drawled.

"If you go back to the crime scene, you'll find at least one bullet lodged in one of the trees, one in the statue, and one in the arch above the doorway." Murtagh said emotionlessly. "Six bullets. That's one magazine. They didn't get a chance to reload before they noticed Eragon's tails coming after them. Besides, by then I had already gotten Eragon inside."

Thorn fell silent.

"You are impossible, you know that?" Thorn said in a low growl.

Murtagh smirked in answer.

They fell into a comfortable silence. A nurse came in during that time to check on him. She informed him in a chipper voice that the doctor would be there soon to check up on him. Murtagh didn't bother to answer. If he had gotten a choice, he would have been out of the hospital already. He knew where he had gotten shot, which organs that almost had been hit, that they had needed to bring him back, etcetera etcetera. He just wanted to go home. However, he had a feeling that he was going to stay put for at least a week.

"You were really lucky, you know." Thorn commented quietly. "Two bullets nearly pierced your heart and the veins surrounding it."

"I know." Murtagh said tiredly.

"The other one nearly nicked your lung." Thorn said firmly. "If that had happened, then the doctors told me they might not have been able to save you. You had already lost a lot of blood when they got you here. The fuck were you thinking, running off like that!? You could have gotten to the hospital a lot faster if you had stuck around, you moron!"

"If I had, the Ra'zac might have finished me off." Murtagh explained dryly.

Thorn just growled in answer.

"You've been given a second chance. I suggest you think real hard over what you want to do with it." Thorn said before getting up.

"What now?" Murtagh asked and coughed.

He really needed to get something for his throat.

"I'm calling the others to let them know that you're up."

Murtagh sighed and turned his head to look at the window again. The blinds were shut, but he could imagine that there wasn't a lot to see outside of it anyway.

He didn't really listen in to what Thorn said as he spoke on the phone. All Murtagh knew was that he wasn't nearly done getting himself yelled at. Thorn wasn't even finished. And then there was Nasuada, Arya and Ajihad. Murtagh really wasn't looking forward to those talks.

For a moment Murtagh entertained the idea of Eragon yelling at him. He quickly pushed the thought away however. Eragon was too busy with his boyfriend to yell at him. Sure, the brunet had, as Thorn called it, broken down when he had been admitted, but so had his other friends. Murtagh wouldn't allow himself to think that Eragon felt anything towards him anymore.

"Alright, I'll see you." Thorn said and ended the call.

Murtagh sighed and turned his head to face the other. Thorn sat down and rubbed his hands tiredly over his face.

"Nas and Arya will be here in fifteen minutes." Thorn said, his voice slightly muffled by his hands.

Murtagh grunted in answer. Oh yeah, he really wasn't looking forward to that meeting.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(07.24 PM – Friday 7__th__ of November. Inside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon stared out at the rain outside. He sighed and pulled his knees tighter against him.

They had come back from the hospital some time ago, though since then the time seemed to have been on fast-forward. Before Eragon knew it, Baldor had dropped them off, he and Saphira had eaten something akin to dinner, and he had been sitting in the same spot for hours. Saphira sat beside him, though with a book in her hands. How she could concentrate at all was beyond him.

His eyes followed a raindrop that hit the glass and slowly slid down, crashing with already existing water-trails, until it connected with the rim of water on the window ledge. Eragon sighed.

Saphira jumped as the phone rang. She put down her book and walked over to the phone and picked it up.

"Saphira speaking."

Eragon shifted and leaned more properly against the back of the couch as he directed his gaze once again to the window.

"When?" Saphira asked behind him.

Two girls ran on the other side of the street, holding bags over their heads and skidded around the corner.

"Do you want us to -?" Saphira paused. "Okay. I'll let him know. I'll call you later."

Eragon squinted when he saw a cat run across the street, just barely missing being hit by a car. He shuddered slightly.

"That was Thorn." Saphira said as she sat back down. "Murtagh's awake. He's going to make full recovery."

"Oh. Okay."

He could feel Saphira narrow her eyes at him. Eragon blinked and looked at her for the first time in hours.

"That wasn't a vague reaction at all." She drawled before softening her voice. "Eragon?"

"It's great that he's gonna be okay, of course." Eragon said softly. "But, you know... what else do you want me to say?"

"Don't you want to visit him?"

Eragon just sighed. He wasn't sure if that was a good idea, and let his face say that for him.

"Oh, Eragon." Saphira frowned. "Are you afraid he doesn't want to see you? You know he wouldn't have -"

"There are a lot of things he wouldn't have done if it hadn't been for me." Eragon interrupted.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Saphira said and pushed a strand of hair away from his eyes.

"He wouldn't have gotten shot for the fourth time if it wasn't for me." Eragon croaked. "He wouldn't have nearly died if it wasn't for me."

"Oh, Eragon." Saphira reached out and pulled him into a warm hug. "You can't think like that."

Eragon slowly returned the hug, his eyes dropping shut as he let out a shuddering breath.

"I think I liked you better when you were mad at him." Saphira said jokingly.

Eragon let out a soft snort.

"I still am." He replied. "I bet that he'll run off again after he's released."

Saphira pulled back and scowled at him slightly.

"Don't say things like that. You know as well as I do that Ajihad won't let him leave this time." She said firmly.

"He didn't ask for a permission slip the last time either." The brunet said dryly.

"He doesn't have a reason to leave anymore. I talked to Nasuada; I know why he stayed for so long. If he knows what's best for him, he'll stay." Saphira said and pursed her lips.

Eragon sat back and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why did he stay there?"

Saphira smiled sadly.

"Ask him. If he doesn't tell you, I will." She promised. "... Do you still not want to see him?"

Eragon bit his lip and looked away.

"Not now. Maybe later." He murmured finally.

"That's all I needed to hear." The blue eyed girl said and Eragon could imagine the soft smile on her face.

Eragon looked sharply at the door when someone suddenly knocked on it.

"Huh." Saphira murmured. "I'll get it."

He watched her walk over to the door, unlock it and pull it open. His eyes widened when he recognized their visitor.

"Hey, do you think I could talk to Eragon?" Baldor asked softly.

"Sure. You're not going to -?" Saphira trailed off.

Baldor just smiled sadly.

Eragon raised a hand when Baldor looked up and saw him. The older man grinned and walked inside.

"I'll just be in my room." Saphira said and didn't meet Eragon's gaze before slipping away.

He looked up at Baldor with a frown. What did Saphira know?

"How are you feeling?"

Eragon licked his lips as Baldor sat down.

"I'm not sure. A little better I think. I mean, he's going to be okay." Eragon said and bit his lip.

He wasn't exactly sure of what he was saying anymore.

"I... I, um, came here to talk to you about something." The dark haired man said and sighed.

Eragon blinked. Baldor looked nervous. Hadn't he said something about being able to hide it when he was nervous?

"I..." Baldor ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

Eragon blinked in shock.

"What?" He asked.

"Heh." Baldor said and leaned a little away. "I know we've only been going out for a day, even though I've been trying to get you to date me for nearly three weeks, but I think it's best to quit while we're ahead."

"Why?"

"Because you like someone else, Eragon." Baldor said with that sad smile of his. "And if there's even a slight chance of you two being able to work things out, then I think you should."

"But..." Eragon trailed off. "What?"

"Eragon, Morann likes you. And I know you like him. So I've given Saphira my permission to kick some sense into him until he agrees to be with you." The grey eyed male said and winked.

"But why?" Eragon asked quietly.

"Because while I may like you, I don't love you. But someone does. So I think you should nag him until he caves. Really, that guy deserves a break from what I've heard." Baldor grinned slightly.

"He doesn't want to, though." Eragon said and looked away.

"I don't know. I think you just need to make him realise that if he's willing to take a shot for you, then dating you shouldn't be such a hazard risk. In fact, I've heard that dating is a lot less dangerous. But, you know, that could just be a rumour." Baldor whispered and wiggled his eyebrows.

Eragon let out a soft laugh.

"But I am serious, you know." Baldor said with a tired sigh. "If there was anyone to lose someone to, then I could do a hell of a lot worse than Morann."

"So, after chasing me for two weeks, _you're_ breaking up with _me_?" The brunet asked, not sure if he was actually hearing right.

"Yeah." Baldor said and pursed his lips. "I must be nuts, I know, but that's life."

Eragon shook his head amusedly. Baldor winked and stood up.

"I'll be seeing you, Eragon."

"Yeah, see you." Eragon murmured as he watched Baldor walk across of the room and out of the door.

He turned his gaze to Saphira's door and looked at her pointedly when she stepped out, a sheepish smile on her face.

"You knew." He said accusingly.

"Baldor told me he was planning to break up with you." She said and sat down where Baldor had just been sitting.

"That has got to be the shortest relationship in history." Eragon drawled.

Saphira let out a small giggle.

"I guess you could say that." She agreed.

Eragon sent her a mock-glare. Saphira just winked in answer.

They spent the rest of the evening watching TV in silence. And even though she didn't say it, Eragon knew she was happy to see him at least a little bit more animated.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(10.57 AM – Saturday 15__th__ of November. Inside Murtagh's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh hissed in pain as he gently changed his shirt. He slowly lowered the t-shirt over his head and down the rest of his torso. It hurt, but at least the pain meds took away most of the pain.

Like he had predicted, the hospital had kept him for there for a week. He had tried to get released the day before, but the doctor had shaken his head and told him that he could leave in the morning. Bloody doctors. What did they know anyway?

He sat down on the couch and gently lay down with a cushion supporting his back. He couldn't lean back without feeling a slight stab of pain, and besides, keeping himself in an upright position where he had to keep a pillow lodged in-between his shoulder blades hurt after a while. He had tried that experiment before. Because thanks to the shot in his side, he couldn't slouch until it healed.

Murtagh grumbled under his breath and crossed his left arm over his chest. The right one lay comfortably next to the back of the couch. It hurt too much to move it, thanks to the two holes in his back. He closed his eyes and allowed the week's happenings to play in his mind.

* * *

_**(06.17 AM – Saturday 8**__**th**__** of November. Start Flashback)**_

Murtagh had fallen asleep before Nasuada and Arya had come to visit him. But when he woke up he found that they had come back. Or maybe they had stayed, he wasn't sure. At least, they were there when he opened his eyes.

"Murtagh Morann, you are in some deep shit." Arya hissed angrily.

Murtagh flinched. If he was lucky, he got snapped at by Arya enough to cover for Nasuada's part. He really didn't feel like getting yelled at by three people on a Saturday morning.

"First you take off without letting any of us know where you're going." Arya began as she continued to glare down at him. "Then you don't call any of us, and when you do, you tell Nas that she can't tell us!"

"Something she clearly did, anyway." Murtagh mumbled under his breath.

"And then, then you go off and plan this grand scheme where you nearly die!!" Arya hollered. "What the hell were you **thinking**?!"

"I was thinking that I could get the bastards that wanted to kill Rider behind bars before they succeeded. Because believe me, they would have succeeded."

The green eyed woman glared down at him in anger. Nasuada stood by her side, not holding her back but not telling her to go on either. Thorn merely sat in his chair and watched the scene unfold in silence.

"Ever heard of asking for help?" Arya said icily.

"I would have if I thought it would have helped." Murtagh told her calmly. "But it would have just made it worse, and then we would have had to wait for the Ra'zac to strike again. I made the choice that would capture them the quickest and with the smallest number of possible causalities."

"You were willing to sacrifice yourself!" Arya hissed. "What the _fuck_ were you thinking??"

Nasuada reached out and grabbed her hand. Murtagh blinked in surprise. It was the first time he had heard her use that word in a while.

"I was thinking that my life was worth less than Eragon's." He said quietly.

Arya clenched her jaw. Nasuada sighed and looked at him sadly. She quietly shook her head and looked to want to say something, but kept silent.

"Don't you dare to think that again." Arya said darkly. "You wouldn't just have hurt us if you had died, you would have hurt Eragon as well! How did you think he would have felt, knowing that you died because of him?"

Murtagh looked away and gritted his teeth. He'd rather not think about that.

"I don't see how we can even begin to forgive you." The green eyed female said, practically growling as she did so. "But right now we're too glad to have you back, so I can't see how we can't do it either."

Murtagh looked back with a small frown on his face. Arya's eyes were twinkling with tears, but her face remained as calm and collected as always.

"You'll have to answer to your actions later, when you're not as beaten up." She said with a slight smirk. "And it will take some time before we will learn to trust you again. But everyone has their reasons, even moronic bastards."

Murtagh snorted.

"And just what do you think my reasons were?" He asked.

"First you wanted to get away to think." Arya said and her gaze slowly softened. "A lot was going through your mind, we all understand that. And then you wanted to protect Eragon. Well, now you've done both. Are you going to stay this time?"

Murtagh let out a loud sigh.

"Sure, fine, whatever."

Arya rolled her eyes. Nasuada let out a soft laugh and Murtagh heard Thorn scoff from the other side of the bed.

"I haven't even started to yell at you." Thorn told him darkly. "I'll wait for my time, however. Can't ruin Arya's nice little speech, now can I?"

Arya just sent him a glare. Murtagh closed his eyes and smirked.

_**(End Flashback)**_

* * *

Murtagh sighed, still not opening his eyes. Thorn's speech had been far more laced with curses, promises to get beaten to hell and back, and betrayed words. But Murtagh understood Thorn's feelings. They had never been apart ever since they had met as teenagers. He had broken that trust by leaving without as much as saying goodbye. He deserved every ounce of distrust, probably for much longer than he was going to get it.

* * *

_**(11.19 AM – Monday 10**__**th**__** of November. Start Flashback)**_

"So, that's all that has happened while I've been gone?" Murtagh drawled.

Aksel nodded eagerly. He and Vanir had come to visit, and to his surprise, Saphira had tagged along. She had simply told him that it was good to see him up and about, and she wished him a speedy recovery. Thorn had then walked her out, probably spending a little time talking to her as well.

"I still can't imagine you two together without flinching." Murtagh stated dryly. "I didn't even think you had a libido, Therr."

Vanir sneered at him.

"Play nice." Aksel told his boyfriend sharply.

To Murtagh's surprise, Vanir rolled his eyes and turned to stare out of the window.

"Wow. Someone sure is whipped." Murtagh said amusedly.

Vanir answered by flipping him off. Murtagh laughed.

"How about you then, Tag?" Aksel asked and grinned evilly. "What'cha been up to?"

"Oh, you know; getting drunk, mulling over life's unsolvable mysteries, stalking evil sons of bitches... same old same old." Murtagh said sarcastically.

"I thought you didn't drink." The blond commented with a crocked eyebrow.

"Do now." Murtagh said with a smirk.

"Thorn will kill you when he hears." Vanir piped up.

"Damn right, I will." Thorn growled angrily.

Murtagh held in a groan. When had he returned?

"Ah, we should probably leave then." Aksel said and jumped out of his seat. "Come on, Van."

"What did you just call me?" Vanir seethed, though he followed Aksel out of the door.

Aksel laughed loudly and Murtagh watched Vanir growl and pounce. He sighed when Thorn slammed the door shut, all the while glaring down at him.

"Alright, fine, get it out. Yell at me, curse me, kick me if you want; just get it over with."

Thorn snarled and stalked over to stand by his side. Murtagh pushed himself up slightly and ignored the pain he got from doing so. Damned if he was going to lie down and get yelled at again.

"You're drinking again?" Thorn asked him dangerously.

"Only a little. It's not like I'm smoking too." Murtagh said and lifted an eyebrow.

And really, he hadn't. Not since the trial anyway.

"You swore you'd never drink again." Thorn stated darkly.

"I had to go to bars to hear about the Ra'zac. If I didn't drink, it would look suspicious!" Murtagh hissed in his defence.

"Then you should have just called us and pulled back!" The redhead roared. "You are not starting to drink again, not on my watch!"

"Whatever Thorn. Thanks to me having a few drinks, I saved Rider's life! I think that wipes the slate clean, don't you?!" Murtagh yelled back.

Thorn snorted.

"I don't care. You left us." Thorn stressed darkly. "You left us when you could just as well have gone through all of this at home. You left Eragon when he needed you, you left us when we needed you and you made sure to hurt us all while doing it too. I don't care who you fucking saved, how you fucking saved them, or if you even got something out of this little bloody trip of yours. You should have told us."

"You're right; I should have." Murtagh admitted; his voice low and cold as he spoke. "But if I had, you would have just held me back. I needed some time alone, Thorn. My life was in disarray and I was falling apart. All it took was a few weeks away to gain some perspective. Isn't that worth at least a little to you?"

Thorn eyes narrowed, but he didn't comment.

"I admit that I should have called you guys to let you know I was still alive, but if I had I would have given in and come back. You know I would have. And that would have defeated the whole purpose." Murtagh paused. "I almost came back when Rider called. Oh, you didn't know? Yes, he did call. Do you know how much that hurt? Do you know how much it hurt to hear from Arya that he was falling for someone else? _Do you_?"

Thorn just sneered.

"I didn't think so." Murtagh said coldly.

"Fine." Thorn said after a few moments of tense silence. "Fine, so it was necessary for you to go missing for a while. But no matter how much you hurt, you hurt us right back."

"I know."

Another tense silence built up and stayed with them until Thorn finally got ready to leave.

"When you're well again, I'm kicking your ass until you're back here again." Thorn told him darkly before leaving.

Murtagh sighed and looked away. He didn't doubt that for once second. And he welcomed it. He deserved some good kicking, and there was no one better at doing that than Thorn.

_**(End Flashback)**_

* * *

Murtagh scowled. He had told Thorn the truth. His trip, which had morphed into an undercover operation midway through, had given him a chance to see everything in perspective.

He realised that he had been acting like a fool. Somehow he had allowed the thought of Eragon nearly dying get to his head and had used that as a subconscious reason not to be with him. There was no doubt that he should have acted differently. He shouldn't have forced Eragon out of his life and expected everything to be okay. He should have let Eragon down, perhaps a little more gently, but he should have still been the brunet's friend. For while it had hurt to leave his friends, the thought of abandoning Eragon had hurt the most, no matter how unwilling he had been to admit it at the time.

Whatever reason he had found he had used as a reason to push Eragon away. Galbatorix, his past with _the Forsworn_, his unwillingness to open up, his beliefs that everyone around him died or would eventually die because of him, the attempt at Eragon's life, Murtagh himself even! Murtagh sighed.

Nasuada had been right about one thing; it had taken three attempts at Eragon's life to make him admit his feelings, but that would probably not have been enough. It had taken a near death experience on his own behalf for him to see the light, so to speak. Murtagh smirked.

But it didn't change anything. Eragon had a boyfriend, and if that wasn't enough, then Murtagh wasn't ready to let someone get that close. Not now, maybe not ever. He loved Eragon, and perhaps he loved him even too much. He was again glad that Eragon hadn't visited him during his time at the hospital. He wasn't sure what he would have said to the brunet then.

Murtagh licked his lips. He remembered when he had last seen Eragon. Had he always been that beautiful? He probably had; Murtagh had just pushed everything about him into the darkest corners of his mind, even that. And that was where those thoughts were going to stay. Nothing could make him pursue Eragon. Eragon deserved so much better than him, like he had told Eragon so long ago. Nothing could make him see that; no amount of ass-kicking from Thorn, glares from Arya, arguing with Nasuada, talks with Ajihad... nothing.

The hazel eyed man sat up and took a look at the table in front of him. Ajihad had driven him home, welcoming him back and promising to talk to him later when Murtagh wasn't as beaten up. Murtagh had been surprised when Ajihad had given him a few files and asked him to take a little look at them, though he wasn't expected or even allowed back at the station before he was fully healed.

Murtagh reached out and pulled the file on top to him. He opened it and sighed. Then he got to work. A small smile entered his lips as he reached out for a pen. He lifted his left leg and rested the file against his upturned thigh. As he started to write, he couldn't help but to think that it felt good to be back.

* * *

**A/N **And so Murtagh continued to angst in silence while Eragon gave up on Murtagh and got back together with Baldor. Baldor and Eragon adopted lots of kids and lived happily ever after, while Murtagh died years later from getting shot at a job. The end!

I am of course kidding! You don't think I'd end it here, did you? Now, this was _supposed_ to be the end. The minute I sat down and started to write this chapter that was what I believed. But when I typed the last scene with Murtagh, I knew I couldn't leave it there. That's how the last two chapters of this fic were born.

But what do you know, Murtagh's actually back. Oh my, I must be sick! :checks self: Nope, just regularly insane. Because I have to say, I missed him just as much as you did.

Also, if you didn't notice something mind boggling right there in the last scene, I urge you go to and read it again. It involves Murtagh, a certain brunet and a certain L word that guys cannot speak without gagging. No offense to guys, of course! I know a guy that loves to say it, can even say it with a straight face, but that's an entirely different issue.

For those who perhaps were confused in the last chapter, when Murtagh was shot and such, I urge you to go back and read the scene where Murtagh tricks Eragon into believing he's Baldor. If you read closely enough, you'll notice that he bumps into Eragon (shot number one), he flinches and stumbles (shot number two) and he slouches to one side (shot number three). I wanted to be a little sneaky about it, and I'm happy that I managed to do it. Hehe. I hope you're a little less confused now.

Again, I'm sorry that I won't be able to post the fics and update the stories I promised I was going to. This problem caught me completely by surprise. I'm just glad I was able to tell you so that I wouldn't go completely MIA.

I am able to read any reviews and messages you send me, but I won't be able to reply right away.

Until we meet again, my dear friends. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

**Police Speak:**

_Tails_ – police agents that are shadowing a target; which could be either a victim or a perpetrator

_Start him _– a way of saying that they had to restart his heart


	10. Blue Smoke

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

**Warnings:** Slash/Yaoi – meaning guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action. Hints of sexual intercourse. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N** Hello and welcome to part ten of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated and calm during the upsetting news during your last ride. Now we ask you all to once again buckle up, keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride and to really enjoy the chapter.

A huge thanks to everyone who reads, reviews and otherwise express their like of this story. A special thanks to **dragonrider713** who has helped me tremendously with this story.

Beware the change of Axel's name. It's now Aksel. He's the same character, just with a new and improved name.

**EDIT (16th of September)**

Due to FFNet's regulations, I have edited out parts of this chapter. The link to the unedited version of this chapter, along with the other unedited versions of my stories can be found on my "homepage". The rest of the stories in question will be up shortly.

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Part Ten; Blue Smoke**

_(02.07 PM – Monday 17__th__ of November. Outside Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon breathed in the fresh soon-to-be-winter air. He pulled his jacket tighter against him and leaned onto a light pole as he waited for Saphira to step out of the building.

"Afternoon, Eragon."

The brunet jumped. He placed a hand over his heart and felt it beat rapidly under his touch.

"Baldor!" He hissed. "Don't startle me like that!"

Baldor grinned sheepishly. Eragon answered with a small glare.

"So, how goes it?" Baldor asked.

"How goes what?" The brunet said. "School? Sucks as much as always, but I'll pull through. Work? I quit. Things kept happening that forced me to stay away more than I was there, so..."

"No, meant about Morann." Baldor said and shook his head.

"Oh." Eragon murmured and looked away. "Um, you know...whatever."

Baldor narrowed his eyes.

"You haven't been to see him, have you?" He said accusingly.

"No." Eragon admitted quietly. "I don't know what I'd say to him!"

Baldor chuckled softly. He stepped forward and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Just be yourself." He said with a wink.

"You want me to kill him?" Eragon asked and raised his eyebrows.

"You want to kill him?" Baldor laughed.

"A little. He didn't visit me while I was in the hospital, so why should I?"

"And when did you get all childish?" The older man asked softly.

"No, I just..." Eragon trailed off. "I seriously don't know what I'd say to him. I'd probably just end up yelling at him and leaving just as empty-handed."

"Well, you don't know until you've tried, right?" Baldor said and winked. "A talk never killed anyone."

"Never say never." The brunet said dryly.

Baldor laughed and said his goodbyes. Eragon watched him leave before turning away.

"Eragon!" Saphira called out.

Eragon turned around and raised a hand in greeting. She slowed into a walk as she came close enough.

"Talking to Baldor were we?" She commented as they walked towards the bus stop.

"Yeah, so? It's not like we're dating anymore."

"What did he want?" Saphira asked and looped her arm in his.

"He asked if I had visited Murtagh yet." Eragon said and bit his lip. "I told him I hadn't."

Saphira sighed softly.

"When are you going to though, Eragon? The longer you wait, the longer he'll have the time to come up with every possible reason not to listen."

"Like he doesn't have an arsenal already." Eragon said grumpily.

"Eragon, answers doesn't come to those who don't seek them." Saphira said with a small smile. "You've already waited two weeks. How much longer were you planning to avoid the inevitable?"

"...How does forever sound?" Eragon asked jokingly.

Saphira mock-narrowed her eyes and tickled him. How he felt it through his jacket, he had no idea, but still he started to laugh.

"Promise you'll do it soon?" She asked him quietly.

Eragon sighed. He looked up at the dark and cloudy sky and hoped it wouldn't start to rain before they got home. He didn't answer.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(04.27 PM – Monday 17__th__ of November. Inside Carvahall Police Department Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh stepped through the doors with a slight feeling that he was dreaming. It felt different to walk through the doors as a civilian. He had snuck in the last time he had been there, but to walk inside now, without his badge and being on sick-leave, everything just felt so horribly surreal.

"Morann?"

Murtagh winced when he recognized the voice. He plastered on a smirk and slowly walked towards the officer.

"Yo!" Aksel said with a wide grin. "What'cha doing here?"

"Just visiting." Murtagh said and let his eyes wander around in the buzzing lobby.

"Didn't the Captain tell you not to even step foot inside of this place until you were healed?" Aksel asked and crocked an eyebrow.

"To hell with that. Besides, I'm not here as a part of the team. I'm just visiting."

Aksel looked partly surprised and partly amused. Murtagh rolled his eyes and allowed the blond to chat his ear off while they walked towards the homicide department. People stopped or looked at them as they passed, but Murtagh didn't even blink.

After another week of resting, he was slowly feeling his strength returning. His back and left side still stung, but not as much as they had done the week before. He still sat with an extra cushion behind him and didn't slouch as much as he would have liked to. But he was glad to feel that he was slowly recovering.

"Look who I found wandering around!" Aksel said as he jumped inside the briefing room.

Murtagh smirked as he watched the people inside freeze in shock. Nasuada was on her feet an instant later and hugged him softly. He winced when she accidentally came in contact with his wounds. She stepped back and smiled apologetically. Vanir rolled his eyes, but didn't comment. Arya grinned as their eyes met. Thorn narrowed his eyes at him and slowly stood up.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" He asked tensely.

"I'm feeling much better." Murtagh replied. "It's already been two weeks. Am I not to walk around yet?"

"You didn't walk here, I hope."

Murtagh turned and grinned to the person behind him. Ajihad smiled back and stepped into the room, letting the papers in his hand fall onto the table.

"No, I took the bus. What a hassle." Murtagh drawled and sat down in an empty seat.

Ajihad chuckled heartily.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Better. I wish I could at least come back on desk duty. It's boring as hell at home." Murtagh said and sighed.

"But you're staying there until you're well." Thorn growled.

Murtagh allowed a small smirk to show on his lips. In his own way, Thorn had let him know he cared even if he was still angry at him.

"So you don't have to itch to kick my ass every time you see me?"

"That's one reason." Thorn agreed darkly.

Murtagh's smirk widened.

"How are things going then?" He asked.

"Much better now that we know where you are." Aksel piped up energetically.

"Don't tell me you actually missed me." Murtagh drawled in surprise.

"Damn right we did." Arya answered with a small wink. "We missed your brooding."

"Thanks." Murtagh said with a half-sneer.

Nasuada sent him a smile before turning back to her work.

"What are you working on? I mean, it's not like someone's deliberately keeping me out of the loop, but I thought I'd at least ask." Murtagh drawled and shot Ajihad a pointed look.

The Captain smiled and continued to talk to whoever was on the phone.

"The Ra'zac will be put to trial later this month." Nasuada piped up. "We have strong enough evidence to convict them for a lifetime. And yes, they are under constant surveillance."

Murtagh closed his mouth.

"We're pushing for a quicker execution for Galbatorix." Arya continued. "If we can link him to the newest attempts on Eragon's life, then we think we can have him in the chair by next year."

Murtagh closed his eyes and cursed in relief.

"Five bloody years is too long, especially for a criminal like him." He growled.

"King had a good lawyer." Vanir drawled. "Despite how bad he looked in court, he pushed for a five year lifespan in jail, and he got it. He'll be banging on our door when he hears the latest news."

"Have him come. I'll show him a piece of my mind." The hazel eyed man growled.

"Murtagh." Nasuada said firmly. "You're a civilian. Allow us to speak to him."

Murtagh snorted.

"If he comes at the appropriate time, I'll make sure to have my badge in hand and a fist ready to strike him down with." Murtagh told her coldly.

Thorn snorted loudly. Murtagh allowed their eyes to meet. Thorn narrowed his eyes and nodded sharply. Murtagh smirked. At least Thorn understood him.

"Morann, if you're so hell-bent on staking your claim on Eragon, I suggest you do it to the guy in person." Aksel piped up, chewing on another one of his toothpicks. "You've got to mark the actual bush, not just growl and parade around it."

"...Did you just compare me to a dog?" Murtagh asked in a quiet voice.

Aksel shrugged.

"All I'm saying is that you're doing an awful lot of barking, and I've yet to see any peeing. We're all waiting for you to drop your pants, man." The blond drawled.

Murtagh choked on air. He leaned forward, not caring about the pain in his side, and glared at the officer.

"What?" He growled dangerously.

"What, it's true!" Aksel exclaimed.

"Maybe you should have used a different analogy." Vanir supplied dryly.

"Or maybe you should keep your boyfriend on a tighter leash." Murtagh growled angrily at Vanir.

The blue eyed man rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. We're all waiting for it to happen, Murtagh. What's keeping you this time?" Aksel asked and held his arms out in obvious frustration.

Murtagh slowly rose from his seat.

"Thank you for letting me in on the situation." Murtagh spoke quietly, careful not to look at the blond officer as he did so. "I'll be going now.

He didn't wait for any responses before walking briskly out of the room. His side was protesting heavily, but he didn't care. He heard soft footsteps following him, and allowed himself to slow down slightly.

"You know he didn't mean it like that." Nasuada said quietly as she came to walk beside him.

"Oh, he meant it alright." Murtagh said coldly. "But this is none of his business."

"Unfortunately Murtagh, it is our business." Nasuada said and sighed. "You're our friend, and so is Eragon. What concerns you two concerns the rest of us. We're just worried that everything is going to go back to the way it was."

"Too late for that." Murtagh said darkly. "Things already are."

"Murtagh!" Nasuada hissed. "You can't be serious!"

"Deadly serious." He said and stepped out of the building, almost not expecting her to follow, but didn't feel surprised when she did.

"You are not doing this again." The dark eyed woman said angrily. "You are not walking away from Eragon's life without as much as -"

"I'm not. He's the one who hasn't been to see me." Murtagh interrupted.

Nasuada closed her mouth. As if she suddenly realised where she was, she crossed her arms over her chest and shuddered. Murtagh tugged his jacket more tightly around himself and waited for her to speak.

"He's busy with his exams, you should know that." Nasuada said finally. "As soon as he's done, you know he'll march right over to you."

"Like he knows where I live." Murtagh snorted, before a sudden empathy struck him. "Unless someone has blabbed."

Nasuada looked him right in the eye. It hadn't been her then. Murtagh was willing to bet a lot of money on Thorn being the culprit.

"Just promise me that you won't turn him away when he comes to see you."

"What, no _if_?" Murtagh sneered. "Great, bloody great."

Despite his promise to himself, he wasn't very keen on seeing the brunet again. Too many feelings lay beneath the surface, still not as buried as he'd like them to be.

"Promise me." Nasuada stressed.

Murtagh pushed the hair out of his eyes and stared down at her. Slowly he nodded.

"We'll make sure that King and all his bastard associates get what they deserve." Murtagh jumped at her use of language, but didn't comment. "You concentrate on restoring your friendship with Eragon."

"Friendship?"

Nasuada smiled sadly.

"I never expected a miracle from you. By now I'm sure you have a dozen new reasons to turn him down." She said and sighed.

"Only because I love him." Murtagh said quietly.

A look of surprise entered her face. He smirked softly and slipped his hands into his pockets, careful not to slouch too much.

"...You admit it." Nasuada smiled. "I'm proud of you, Murtagh."

Murtagh rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. You should go back inside. I have a bus I need to catch anyway." He said and nodded vaguely in the direction of the closest bus stop.

Nasuada just smiled.

He gave her a small nod before turning around and walking away. Her gaze never left him as he walked around the corner and was gone.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(03.01 PM – Friday 21__st__ of November. Inside Carvahall College in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon ran two hands through his hair and sighed. He was done, he was finally done! He had finished his final exam just an hour ago, and he was waiting for Saphira to step out as well.

He had been slightly amazed that he had been able to sit down and study for his exams. With everything that had happened, it was strange to think that he actually had a life outside of all of the drama. Eragon shook his head and shifted against the wall he was leaning on.

He saw Saphira step out of the room a second later. He raised his hand and waved. Saphira smiled and walked briskly up to him.

"How are you?" She asked softly.

"It killed me. That exam just killed me dead!" He moaned as they began to walk down the hall leading to the closest exit.

"It wasn't that bad." Saphira said and zipped up her coat.

"For you maybe." Eragon drawled. "I've been a bit too busy with...you know, stuff."

The blue eyes softened. Eragon sighed again and tightened the knot on his scarf.

"Well, now that you've had plenty of time to think and everything else is finished...what do you feel?" Saphira asked as they stepped outside.

The cold November air stung their cheeks and turned them red. Eragon grinned at the fresh smell of the air and stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets. It hadn't started to snow just yet, but the temperature was teasing them with the possibility of snow falling very soon.

"Feel? I think that Murtagh is an ass and that he deserves to be told as much." He said darkly. "And it's just not that either! How could he do that to us? That bloody...Argh! But damn that guy if I don't still -"

Despite his unfinished sentence, Saphira smiled in a way that let him know she understood.

"So, will you pay him a visit?" The blonde asked in a near whisper.

Eragon pursed his lips and glared into thin air.

"A visit like you wouldn't believe."

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(03.18 PM – Saturday 22__nd__ of November. Inside Murtagh's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh moaned. He had taken a nap earlier and had fallen asleep in a weird position. And now his back was punishing him.

Murtagh cursed and grumbled under his breath as he tried to relieve the ache without making his wounds hurt. While the wounds had closed up and healed long ago, they still hurt a bit. Particularly the one in his side. The stupid wound just refused to stop aching!

He pushed himself to his feet and limped slightly over to the kitchen. There he made himself a cup of coffee before sitting back down. He turned on the TV, but after a lot of channel-flipping he turned it off. Murtagh was more than sick of hearing about Galbatorix and the assassination attempts on Eragon.

The hazel eyed man flinched. There he went again, thinking about Eragon. Barely a day went by without the brunet's name popping up in his mind.

He took a small sip of the coffee and sighed. He lifted the remote again and turned on a random radio station. Shrilly pop tunes immediately attacked his eardrums. Murtagh flinched and clicked to play a CD instead. He sighed and drank the rest of his coffee.

His mind drifted. He sat down and tried to clear his mind, but somehow Eragon would worm himself into his thoughts. Murtagh growled and stood up, slightly limping over to his window. Outside it had begun to snow, but the temperature was too mild; the snow would melt long before it had time to settle. He lifted his arms and rested them against the window ledge, leaning against them as he continued to look out. His breath was fogging up the glass, but he didn't care.

The soft layer of snow on top of the cars outside and the small visible white powder falling made the world seem innocent somehow; untainted. Murtagh pursed his lips when found himself listing all the facts that made the world seem the exact opposite.

Murtagh closed his eyes and found himself mouthing the lyrics that were whispered from his stereo. His eyes shot open when a loud knock echoed inside the apartment.

Murtagh wasn't expecting anyone, and he found himself wondering who it could be as he walked over to the door. He gripped the door handle with one hand and looked out through the peep-hole. He promptly froze.

"Eragon?" He whispered.

The vision didn't fade away as Murtagh expected it to. Instead, the brunet raised his hand and knocked again.

Murtagh flirted with the idea of not opening the door. His friends would be furious with him, naturally, but that wasn't something he was unfamiliar with. It was when they weren't mad at him that he got edgy. But nonetheless, his grip around the handle tightened and he opened the door.

Murtagh watched as Eragon jumped back, clearly startled. He leaned onto the ledge and presented Eragon with a blank look.

"Eragon." He said and gave him a slight nod.

Eragon seemed to wake up at this. The brunet narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

"We need to talk." Eragon said coldly.

Murtagh smirked. He was very tempted to slam the door shut, but pushed it open instead and allowed the younger male to step inside. Murtagh busied himself with closing the door as he heard more than he saw Eragon take off his shoes.

Murtagh wanted to groan. Ah, so he was staying for a while then? _Great_.

He turned around and saw that Eragon was busy checking the place out nervously. Murtagh smirked and walked around him to sit back down. What did the brunet think; that the place was going to attack him?

"You wanted to talk?" Murtagh drawled.

Eragon flinched slightly. He crossed his arms and glared down at him. Murtagh simply leaned back and waited.

"You lied to me."

Murtagh blinked. Of all the things Eragon could open with, he chose that?

"When?" Murtagh asked with a crocked eyebrow.

"At the college. You know, when you got _shot_." Eragon spat. "I knew you couldn't be Baldor!"

Murtagh rolled his eyes.

"Of all things to say." He murmured. "Rider, I had to! If the Ra'zac had found out who I was, we would both have been dead."

Eragon pursed his lips.

"You still could have told me." He said stubbornly.

"No, I couldn't." Murtagh stressed. "You would have without a doubt punched me. And according to the Ra'zac, who had been following you by the way; it would have seemed odd for you to punch either a random stranger or your boyfriend, depending on who they saw me as."

"Does it look like I care?" Eragon exclaimed. "The first time I see you in months, and you fucking pretend to be Baldor! YOU ASSHOLE!"

Murtagh opened his mouth, but Eragon interrupted him long before he could even take a breath to form the first word.

"Do you have any idea what you've made me go through? Made everyone go through? You fucking selfish son of a bitch!" The brunet spat. "I **HATE** YOU!"

"Well, fine!" Murtagh hollered. "That's what I wanted in the first place!"

A total lie, but Eragon didn't need to know that.

"LIAR!" Eragon screamed. "You never wanted me to hate you; you just didn't want me to love you. A damn lot of good that did!"

Murtagh chose to ignore that comment.

"Rider, you're being unreasonable." Murtagh said coldly. "I did what I did to protect you."

"And nearly got yourself killed while doing it!" Eragon countered. "What lot of good would that have done? You didn't have to crawl away with your frigging tail between your legs. If you had died, you might as well have let those bastards kill me!"

Murtagh shot up. His side throbbed in disagreement to his actions, but he didn't care.

"Don't you ever say again." He said darkly.

"I think you fail to see my point in all of this, Murtagh." Eragon said; spitting his name out like it was poison. "I love you. I, for some unfathomable reason, **love **your sorry ass. How do you think it would have been for me if I learned that you had died for me?"

"Better you than me."

Eragon looked ready to burst.

"STOP SAYING THAT!"

Murtagh growled.

"You're just so unbelievingly cold." Eragon said, his voice shaking slightly though his eyes remained cold and angry. "A right bastard, that's what you are. And do you know what? Even a jerk like you has people that love you, the same people that you accept and let close. Why, why am I so different Murtagh? Is it because I love you like _that_?"

Murtagh clenched his jaw.

"No, I'm not finished." Eragon growled when Murtagh opened his mouth to speak. "But even though you act so tough and so cold, you're not. If you had been, you would have let me die. Don't look at me like that, you know you would have! You have a heart, Murtagh, a live beating heart that's bigger than you let yourself believe. So why, why do you refuse to let me in?"

The hazel eyed man let out a shaky and angry breath.

"And don't say it's for my own good." Eragon said angrily. "I'm sick and tired of hearing you say that. And besides, I don't believe it."

Murtagh wanted to reach out and strangle the brunet. What did Eragon know? And why the hell was he saying those things? Didn't he know it was bad to provoke Murtagh?

"Rider, I cannot let you -"

"Why? Give me one good reason why." Eragon snarled, his hands clasping onto the back of the couch and leaning over it to stare right into Murtagh's face.

Murtagh, who had been sitting on the other couch, strode around the coffee table and leaned so that only a few centimetres separated their faces. Eragon stared back at him, his eyes still alive and practically sparking with anger and frustration.

"Why?" Murtagh breathed angrily. "How about; you're in danger if you stay around me?"

"No more so than I am when I'm alone." Eragon drawled. "I seem to have every trigger-happy scumbag from here to Surda after me, unless you have forgotten."

Oh, Murtagh had not forgotten that little fact.

"Fine." He growled with a sneer. "How about the fact that I make you miserable? And don't you dare deny it! Besides, don't you have a little boyfriend to go home to?"

Eragon pursed his lips.

"Baldor and I broke up." He said calmly.

"Please don't tell me you broke up with him because of me." Murtagh snarled.

"No, he broke up with me." Eragon said and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not that desperate to have you back."

"Sounded like it." Murtagh sneered.

"I just want you to stop living in denial and wake up to see what's actually around you!" Eragon exclaimed. "And I want you to take responsibility for what you've done."

"I have scheduled an ass-kicking with Thorn the moment I'm fully healed." Murtagh drawled, leaning back as he did so. "Would you like to schedule in one as well?"

The dark brown eyes narrowed even further.

"I'd rather you find your spine and make up with your friends." Eragon said coldly. "And if you wanted to cut me out of your life so badly, all you had to do was to tell me."

Murtagh felt his eyes widen slightly. Hurt, Eragon was radiating so much hurt. Why hadn't he seen it before? Had the anger been covering it?

"I...I don't want to cut you out of my life, Rider." Murtagh said calmly, though on the inside the rage was still going strong. "I know I've been doing a pretty good job at making you think so, but I don't."

Eragon sneered. Murtagh quickly noticed that it looked ugly on Eragon's face, and he wanted it gone. Now.

"I _don't_." Murtagh growled. "Don't you come here and tell me what I do and don't want."

"Someone has got to, Morann. You don't seem to know it yourself." Eragon taunted.

Murtagh shot forward until his lips mere millimetres away from Eragon's. The brunet's eyes widened for a second before they were once again angry. He breathed purposefully on Eragon's lips as he spoke.

"And what gives you the right to be that person?" He asked in a low and dangerous tone.

"Because I've seen you at your best and I've seen you at your worst, and I never stopped loving you." Eragon told him bluntly. "Call me a fool; I don't care."

Murtagh smirked.

"If you know what I want, then why don't you tell me?"

"Because nothing in life is for free, Murtagh."

"Touché." Murtagh smirked.

Silence fell around them. Eragon glared angrily at him while Murtagh tried to gather his thoughts. Was there something he could say? Should say? Had he said he was sorry yet? ...He didn't think so.

"Era...Rider, I'm sorry." Murtagh said softly.

For some reason, this seemed to anger Eragon even further. Or maybe he had simply had enough, Murtagh couldn't be sure.

"You! You're just, you -!" If he hadn't known that Eragon was actually and truly mad at him, Murtagh would have let him know just how cute he looked. "If I could, I'd, I'd goddamn kill you myself!"

"Rider." Murtagh sighed. "There's no reason -"

"No reason?" Eragon asked in a quiet and deadly voice. "No, no reason? I'll fucking give you **reasons**!"

The hazel eyed man couldn't even start to tell him to calm down before Eragon blew up.

"_YOU LEFT_! You fucking left, and you didn't tell any of us! And then, then you go off on an investigation **ALONE**? Oh yeah, Nasuada talks!" The brunet spat. "And then, then you have to run off and get shot, AGAIN? I'm gonna _murder_ you!"

Murtagh cursed and ducked away from Eragon's suddenly furious and flying fists. He bit back a scream when he felt his side and back flare up at his movement. But damnit, he was not letting Eragon punch him again!

Murtagh dodged when Eragon swung out. The brunet snarled and jumped over the coffee table. Murtagh wasn't sure what he was; awed or afraid that Eragon could pull off such a move. He didn't have time to think more as a solid right hook had him skidding backwards and into the wall. A pained groan left his lips involuntarily.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Murtagh cursed. He slid down, pushing himself away from the wall and the still very angered brunet.

"_Eragon_, we can talk about this!" He said sternly.

"Like hell we can!" Eragon spat.

Murtagh cursed when another dodge sent another stream of fire shooting up his side.

"Damnit, I'm injured here, Eragon! Do you want me back in the hospital that badly?"

"You wouldn't be injured if you hadn't been such a moronic asshole in the first place!" Eragon screamed.

The dark haired man bit back a curse and just managed to catch himself when the wall behind him disappeared, letting him know he had skidded around the entire living room and was now standing in his bedroom doorway. And with the murderous brunet coming at him, Murtagh swore and ducked inside.

He swore even more colourfully when he realised it was a dead-end. Fuck! He could never catch a break, could he?

He looked up and cursed out loud. With Eragon blocking his only exit, escaping would be hard. Had it been any other time he could have easily side-stepped Eragon and left, but as his luck would have it, Murtagh was injured and noticeably slower than normal.

Murtagh saw only one way out of getting more injured, and he really didn't like it. It involved a lot more touching and straining than he was really willing to do. Unfortunately it was his only option.

Murtagh steadied his footing and bent his knees slightly. Otherwise he showed no outer signs of getting ready to do what he was about to do.

Eragon growled and jumped forward, his arm pulled back as he without a doubt prepared to punch Murtagh again. Murtagh however slid to the side and grabbed onto Eragon's arm, pulling them both down onto the bed and rolling them around until he was sitting on top of Eragon, holding his arms down with his hands and looking down into his angry face.

"Would you calm down?" Murtagh panted. "You are allowed to hit me later, okay? But right now I'd rather we talked."

Eragon glared and bucked against him. Murtagh growled softly and held on tighter. He wished there was a way to hold down Eragon's upper body as well, seeing as certain motions on Eragon's side was not helping a problem he was beginning to get down south. He hated it when adrenaline pumped like this. Either Murtagh nearly killed someone or he got impossibly horny.

"Eragon, you have every right to be mad at me." He whispered firmly. "Everyone I know has a reason and a right to be mad at me. But that does not mean you get to beat the shit out of me right now. I would rather not be crippled for the rest of my life if I can help it."

Eragon narrowed his eyes.

"I would rather that we just sat down and talked like respectable adults." Murtagh paused. "Are you willing to do that?"

"No." The brunet replied bluntly. "Where were you when I wanted to talk, huh? Where were you when everyone else wanted to talk? It always has to be on your time, on your initiative, or else you just leave."

"_Eragon_." Murtagh growled. "I said that I was sorry."

"Well, sorry doesn't quite cover it!" Eragon spat.

"Then what do you want me to say?" Murtagh growled darkly. "You want me to say how sorry I am for leaving you and my friends? How sorry I am for getting shot? How sorry I am for not telling anyone where I was?"

Eragon opened his mouth to speak, but Murtagh was determined not to let him speak this time.

"Well, you know what? Forget it. I'm not sorry for getting shot, for leaving and for staying MIA. Why? Because I saved you. I know I hurt a lot of people, and for that I am truly sorry, but since I saved your life I can't say I'm sorry for doing what I had to do." Murtagh paused. "But wait, you said sorry didn't cover it, didn't you? I guess I wasted that little speech then."

Eragon's face, which had softened slightly sometime during his speech, hardened again.

"You, you **asshole**!" He hissed angrily. "How can you say all that shit and then go around and hurt people all over again, huh?"

"Hurt _people_ or you?" Murtagh asked and smirked.

Eragon leaned up and snarled right into his face.

"Fine, if that's what you want to hear; then fine! I can't see how you can go on and hurt me like this when you claim you care."

"You always hurt the people you love, Rider." Murtagh drawled.

He didn't register the words before they were out of his mouth. Murtagh cursed mentally and waited for the younger's reaction.

"What's your excuse then, seeing as you don't love me?" Eragon spat.

Murtagh ducked his head and chuckled under his breath. He could feel Eragon's confusion, but pushed it aside. He wasn't the only oblivious idiot around after all.

He lifted his head and stared at Eragon through his too long forelock. He smirked softly.

"But I do." Murtagh drawled softly. "I do love you."

At first there was no reaction. Then, ever so slowly, the information seemed to sink into Eragon's mind. The brown eyes widened in shock. Murtagh leaned back and loosened his grip around Eragon's wrists slightly.

"You...did you just?" Eragon shook his head.

"Yes." Murtagh hissed. "I, Murtagh, love you, Eragon."

Eragon stared up at him in shock. The hazel eyed man thought he had lost him for a second before Eragon's eyes became alive again.

Murtagh grunted when Eragon wretched his hand free and punched him. A low groan left him when Eragon bucked up and threw them around. And then the brunet proceeded to slam his fists into Murtagh's chest over and over.

"You, you, you!" Eragon growled almost pathetically. "I just, how can you...your timing is the worst ever!"

Murtagh agreed silently, though he did not agree on the torment that was being inflicted upon his person.

"I just recently found out. You'll have to excuse the fact that there was never a better time for me to bring up the issue." Murtagh drawled.

Eragon looked up and glared at him.

"You suck." Eragon told him bluntly.

Murtagh chose not to comment on that statement.

"And when you found this out, what were you going to do? Huh?" The brunet wanted to know.

Murtagh merely crocked an eyebrow. This earned him another slam to the chest, this one harder than the others.

"Oy!"

"You fuckhead!" Eragon exclaimed. "Why can't you not just once think of yourself, huh?"

"Hey, I was not the one who had a boyfriend!" Murtagh countered.

"So? We were hardly boyfriends. We went out once, and _he_ ended it! Get your goddamn facts straight before you go off and prepare to wallow in misery for the rest of your pathetic life!"

"Hey now -" Murtagh growled.

Eragon interrupted him before he could continue. He leaned down and slammed his lips over Murtagh's. Murtagh laid there stunned. He wasn't able to recover before Eragon pulled back.

"Do I have to remind you of the fact that I love you too, huh?" Eragon pursed his lips. "You absolute fuckwit."

"Would you stop calling me names?" Murtagh drawled.

"No, you deserve it." Eragon replied coldly.

"Well, fine." Murtagh said and snarled. "Then I'll just have to shut you up."

Eragon let out a soft squeak when Murtagh pulled him down into a possessive kiss. When there was no response he tightened his grip on Eragon's neck and pushed closer. He bit gently onto Eragon's bottom lip and let his tongue flirt over the tender flesh. The brunet moaned and opened his mouth. Murtagh wasted no time plunging his tongue inside. He let a hand run through the soft brown hair and grab onto it as he pushed closer still. And finally Eragon woke from his haze.

The brunet grabbed onto Murtagh's shoulders and kissed back furiously. Murtagh growled when he felt Eragon's nails dig into his flesh through his shirt.

As they kissed Eragon began to move against the other male. Murtagh growled when their clothed groins brushed against one another. He felt Eragon moan into his mouth as he bucked up to prolong the contact.

Murtagh pushed a leg in-between Eragon's and unclenched his hand from Eragon's hair. Then, breaking the kiss as he did so, he turned them over and held himself up with his free arm as they completed the turn. He knew all the rolling around was going to come back to haunt him later, but the adrenaline and arousal was pumping too loudly in his veins to make him feel the hurt. Murtagh growled and leaned back down to claim Eragon's lips.

They continued to kiss angrily and furiously. Murtagh's entire body was humming from the feel of Eragon underneath him. But it wasn't enough; it wasn't nearly enough.

Murtagh grabbed hold of Eragon's sweatshirt and pulled it harshly over his head, taking the t-shirt underneath with it. Then he started to make his way down Eragon's chest, nipping and licking as he went. Eragon bucked up against him while he pulled at Murtagh's shirt at the same time. Murtagh leaned down and circled a nipple with his tongue and bit down gently. The brunet let out a hoarse moan.

Eragon growled softly and practically hauled the shirt over Murtagh's head. Murtagh bit his lip to hold in a pained groan. The top underneath received the same treatment. The hazel eyed man then proceeded to bite down on the other nipple as a punishment, dragging his hands down Eragon's sides to rest at the jeans line as he did so. Eragon reached out and grabbed onto Murtagh's shoulders harshly, drawing blood as he held on. Murtagh continued to tease the brunet's nipples as his hands unbuttoned the jeans and pulled them down the other's legs. He was quick to make a short process of the boxers as well.

Before long Murtagh worked his way back up and started to suck on the brunet's neck. Eragon's hands raked down Murtagh's back, somehow managing to stay clear of his bullet wounds as they did so. Nonetheless, a pained groan left him. The darker brunet therefore reached down and started to palm Eragon with only a slight hint of harshness. Eragon moaned and bucked up into the touch.

They continued to touch each other without really caring if they hurt the other. Murtagh was thankful that Eragon generally seemed to stay away from his injuries, though. What he was doing now would set back his recovery enough.

The sounds got louder inside the room, but it wasn't just pants and moans that they came with.

"Careful." Murtagh groaned huskily.

Eragon sent him a sharp look, but reluctantly agreed. Well, he did for a little while, at least.

"Watch the wounds." Murtagh growled when Eragon brushed against one of his bullet wounds.

"It's...no more than...you deserve." Eragon panted harshly.

Murtagh growled darkly.

"I'll show you who deserves what." Murtagh half snarled.

A couple of minutes later they both screamed loudly. Murtagh buried his head in Eragon's neck and the brunet made himself comfortable against Murtagh's shoulder.

The next few minutes passed in blissful silence.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(05.27 PM – Saturday 22__nd__ of November. Inside Murtagh's apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon wasn't sure what he had expected when he had gone to visit Murtagh, but having sex with said man had not been one of them.

They had fallen asleep afterwards. Eragon had woken up, not quite sure where he had been at first. He had almost started to panic, but then he had seen Murtagh. He had then quietly slipped out of Murtagh's embrace and padded into the bathroom. He had quickly washed his body before slipping into his clothes and into Murtagh's living room.

He still found himself in said living room even twenty minutes after the short shower. Eragon fingered his phone and debated whether or not to call Saphira. She was probably wondering what was taking so long.

Eragon sighed and looked up at the bedroom door. He had closed it when he had left the room. If he talked quietly enough, the chance of waking Murtagh up should be small. He bit his lip. He was already dialling before he was quite sure of what he was doing.

"_Saphira speaking!_" Saphira answered cheerfully.

Eragon padded over to the window in the other end of the apartment before he answered.

"It's Eragon."

"_Finally!_" Saphira exclaimed. "_How long are you planning on staying there? Are you beating him up as well as yelling until he's deaf?_"

Eragon hesitated. He leaned against the wall behind him and kept a close eye on the door as he replied.

"Um no, I got kind of sidetracked." He paused. "I'll be back in an hour or so, I think."

"_..._"

Eragon winced. Saphira had heard something in his voice, he just knew it.

"_Eragon, what happened?_" She asked.

"Well, I yelled and he threw his lousy reasons in my face. Then he popped out and told me he loved me." Eragon sighed. "I didn't respond very nicely. We ended up ish fighting and then we ended up, um...having sex."

Eragon wasn't sure Saphira had heard his last response; he had practically whispered it after all.

"_Oh my._" Saphira breathed. "_What does this mean?_"

The brunet licked his lips. He threw his other arm around himself and looked at the floor.

"Nothing. He probably doesn't want a relationship and I'm not sure I want one with him right now either."

Saphira fell silent.

"_...Are you sure?_" She practically whispered. "_This is Murtagh after all, the man you've been in love with for nearly six months._"

"Yeah, I know." The brunet murmured. "But he's got some serious trust to earn back before I can even consider dating him."

"_I see._" Saphira murmured back. "_Well, call me when you're on your way back, ok?_"

Eragon told her he would and hung up. He sighed sadly and looked up. He stumbled into the wall when he noticed Murtagh sitting on the couch, sipping coffee like he belonged.

Then again, he did; Eragon was the intruder in the whole scene.

"Oh, hey." Eragon muttered softly, a slight embarrassed blush making its way across his cheeks.

Murtagh smirked softly and put the cup onto the table.

"Yeah, hey." He said and tilted his head. "You're allowed to sit, you know."

Eragon did so awkwardly.

"This is one of the situations where we talk about 'what now', I suppose?" Murtagh said and crossed his arms.

"I guess." Eragon breathed.

"And I do believe we've heard your answer to that question." The older drawled.

Eragon blushed softly. Murtagh crocked an eyebrow and waited.

"I meant it." Eragon said finally. "You have to earn back my trust before I agree to go out with you."

Murtagh smirked and let out a soft chuckle.

"I expected as much." He said and took another sip of his coffee. "And I agree."

Silence fell around them. Eragon coughed and stood up, wincing when the couch creaked. Murtagh's eyes glimmered with amusement. Eragon sent him a soft glare before walking around him and over to the door.

"I don't regret it." Murtagh's voice made him stop. "Do you?"

Eragon allowed himself to smile. He slipped on his shoes and turned around. Murtagh had stood up and was obviously waiting for his answer.

"No." Eragon said and bit his lip. "At least I'll have something to remember you by."

Murtagh laughed.

"I'll stay in touch this time, Rider." He said teasingly.

"Oh yeah? Why should I trust you on that one?" Eragon asked and zipped up his jacket.

A real smile entered Murtagh's face.

"This time I won't let you go." The hazel eyed man stated simply. "I love you, Eragon. I'm not saying I want a relationship just yet, but there's no way you're getting rid of me this time around."

Eragon smiled brightly. He opened the door and walked out, the smile never leaving his face.

Just this once, he had a feeling Murtagh meant what he said. And for once he was looking forward to what the future had in store.

* * *

**A/N** Wow, that chapter was quite a mouthful, wasn't it? But I do get the feeling that you still want to hunt me down? Oh, it might be the fact that Tag and 'Agon are still not together. :face-palm:

Now, you have to realise that Murtagh surrendered a lot of control in that very steamy scene up there. Before then he had never really allowed himself to touch Eragon. And even so, he's clearly not ready for more. ut don't fear, too much at least. There's an epilogue on the way, something I plan to post as soon as possible.

As for Aksel, god, he killed me in this chapter. I have no idea where half of his lines come from, but I loved him in this chapter. I mean it, I simply loved him! He's such an amusing pervert.

And now for the more sombre news. As you without a doubt have noticed, it's been a while since I posted. I'm so sorry it took me so long, but life caught up with me and made me realise I couldn't continue doing what I was doing. The will to write left me and I was left with a sense of guilt and a slight hint of depression. I'm better now, thankfully, because I've put it all behind me. Tomorrow is a new day, or whatnot.

Anyhow, because of all of this, and my exam in three weeks, I'm not sure when I'll update. I'll try to have a new chapter of _Obsession_ out next week, but from then on I won't post anything until after my exam. First of all, I need to get material back from my beta and then I need to find the actual time to update. Posting from now on will be slow, I'm afraid.

I really hope you enjoyed the chapter.

**Police Speak:**

_MIA_ – short for Missing In Action


	11. White Vapour

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Aksel) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn's human appearances.

Warnings: Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. Femslash/Shōjo-ai – meaning mild girl x girl action. Some ass-whooping – meaning that some people are going to be kicking each other's asses. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.

**A/N **Hello and welcome to part eleven of _Black Mist_. We here at SussieKitten's fanfics thank you for remaining seated for the entire ride. Now we ask you all, just one last time to buckle up, keep your elbows inside the cart during the entire ride and to really enjoy the final chapter of this adventure. It has been a pleasure to have you all onboard. Thank you all for your patience and lovely comments.

I'm so sorry for the delay, but a lot of things are happening in my life right now, so I had to focus on those. Until everything is back in order, I won't be updating as often and I probably won't be able to reply right away. I'll answer PMs and reviews as soon as I can, but you might have to wait a bit for an answer. I'm talking everything from a few days to a week or two. I'm sorry for any inconvenience. If you ask me something that I see as urgent, I'll answer you right away, of course.

A huge thanks to my beloved beta, **dragonrider713**. Without her, well...this story wouldn't have been half as good and it certainly wouldn't have been done half as fast.

* * *

**BLACK MIST**

**Epilogue; White Vapour**

_(03.18 PM – Friday 12__th__ of December. Inside Eragon and Saphira's shared apartment in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon had given up answering their questions ages ago. It was always the same; _what happened? Are you getting together? Is he still being an ass, and if so, do you want me to go over and kick him for you?_ He just wondered when they'd see that his answers weren't going to change. They would remain; _you know what happened. Not in the nearest future. He's not being an ass, he just has to apologise properly before I'll forgive him._

The only one who knew what had happened, in detail that was, was Saphira. Eragon didn't feel quite comfortable with the thought of having to tell everyone else what Murtagh had told him. Oh, he was sure Thorn knew, and for now, that was enough.

Eragon watched Saphira walk around and put their few Christmas decorations up. There were the few that Eragon had taken from his home and the ones that Saphira had inherited from her parents. Even though Eragon didn't care how it looked, the blonde always wanted it to look nice in the apartment once Christmas rolled around.

"Thought about what to buy everyone yet?" Saphira asked cheerfully.

Eragon shook himself out of his thoughts.

"Um, you know that I've already done my Christmas shopping, right?"

This was the truth. Eragon detested the thought of having to fight his way through the masses that bought every teeny tiny gift in the two weeks before Christmas, so he did most of his shopping in late November and early December.

Saphira put away the tiny Santa figure in her hands and smirked at him.

"So, you're not going to get Murtagh something? I have a few great suggestions, you know."

Eragon groaned.

"I swear you've been spending way too much time with Aksel!" He said grumpily.

Saphira sat down beside him and tilted her head.

"Why?" She asked.

"You were going to suggest something perverted, weren't you? Like fuzzy handcuffs, porn or a lube and condom set?" Eragon drawled.

Saphira giggled. She crossed her arms and sent him an amused look.

"I wasn't going to suggest anything of that sort. Though, do tell me more about that lube and condom set." She said teasingly.

Eragon groaned and tired to suffocate himself with the nearest pillow. Saphira gently pried it from his hands while laughing softly.

"I was thinking something more in the line of going on a date with him." The blonde said seriously.

Eragon frowned. He fiddled with the worn sleeves of his shirt and didn't answer.

"Still not sure you want to?"

He bit his lip.

"It's not that. It's just, how do I know he's not going to change his mind? He already did so once before." He murmured softly.

Saphira sighed. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it softly.

"That was back then. You've both been through a lot since. And did he not say, and I quote; _this time I won't let you go_?" She asked.

Eragon looked down at their hands. Saphira's were more delicate than his, yet they seemed to possess more strength than his. They were whiter than his as well.

"Eragon?" Saphira's voice brought him back to the present.

"I know what he said, Saph." Eragon said and pulled his hand out of her hold. "That's not the issue. While he said that he loves me, I'm not sure he'll ever be in the place where he wants to date me. He's under the delusion that I'm a walking target whenever he's around. I told him I'm as much as a target when I'm alone, but he wouldn't listen!"

Saphira ran a hand through his hair and tilted his chin so that he was looking at her again.

"Then I think you need to get him to listen." She said softly.

"How?! I've tried every possible way!" Eragon exclaimed in frustration.

Saphira smiled softly and stood up.

"There is one thing you haven't thought of yet." She said and winked.

"What?"

But Saphira didn't answer. She merely giggled and went back to decorating happily, leaving Eragon to sulk in his own thoughts.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(07.50 PM – Tuesday 16__th__ of December. Inside the police gym in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh was honestly surprised when he entered the gym and found it vacant. The speakers were still spitting out some annoying trance-like beat that Murtagh supposed was to get people more motivated to train. All it did was to give him a headache, though. Figures.

"You came."

Murtagh smacked his lips. He looked over at the training mats and was not surprised to see Thorn sitting there.

"Why shouldn't I have? I've been promised the ass-kicking of a lifetime. I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Murtagh drawled and shed his jacket while kicking off his shoes.

The doctor had given him a clean bill of health only a few days before. While the wound next to his lung still stung every now and then, the others hadn't been giving him any problems. When Thorn had heard, he had promptly told him to meet him that Tuesday.

Thorn stood up gracefully. Murtagh walked forward, treading carefully as he did so. He was very aware of what Thorn was capable of.

"I'll try not to bruise your face." Thorn said dryly. "Can't have you looking bad on the Christmas pictures, now can we?"

"But limping is okay, I suppose?" Murtagh asked and quirked an eyebrow.

Thorn smirked sadistically. Murtagh snorted. And people claimed he was the sadistic one?

"Bring it on, big boy." Murtagh said and jumped onto the mats. "I'm ready."

Thorn roared angrily and shot forward. Murtagh skidded out of the way and blocked the arm that would most likely have sent him into the wall beside him. He winced.

Thorn hadn't shown a lot of outer signs that he was still angry with Murtagh, but the punches he was packing spoke for him. Nasuada had been quick to forgive him, and for that Murtagh had spent a week thanking her. Vanir hadn't needed an apology; he had simply rolled his eyes and directed him to all the files he needed to look over and sign. Then again, Murtagh had never been particularly close to him either. Arya had started to gradually forgive him, though she was obviously a little resentful towards him for hurting Nasuada. But Thorn was the only one who hadn't even started to forgive him yet. Hell, even Eragon had forgiven him more than Thorn had!

Murtagh winced, partly because of the kick that sent him to the floor and because of the thought. He tried not to think about Eragon too much. He had called the brunet twice, once to clue him and Saphira in about the Christmas party Ajihad and Nasuada were holding and once to tell him about the sock he suspected belonged to Eragon. Both times they had been able to talk pleasantly enough, though Murtagh knew Eragon wasn't quite ready to forgive him yet.

The hazel eyed man ducked away from a swing, only to get a palm slapping him harshly right over his breastbone. Murtagh wheezed and fell to the floor. Thorn wasn't holding back at all.

Thorn loomed over him. Murtagh looked up and crocked an eyebrow while a hand massaged his chest. There was still a slight stiffness in his shoulders, but even so he held out a hand for Murtagh to take. Murtagh hesitated. Slowly he reached out and took the hand, allowing it to pull him up. A split second later Murtagh pulled Thorn down while he turned and jammed an elbow harshly into Thorn's back. The redhead grunted. The other man then jumped out of the way.

Thorn looked back at him, a slight hint of amusement in his eyes. Murtagh smirked back. And so the fight continued.

Murtagh noticed a slight change in Thorn's fighting. It was obvious that he had been training furiously while Murtagh had been missing. The hazel eyed man felt for whatever sucker that had been forced to practice with Thorn.

The redhead shot forward and slammed a fist into Murtagh's face. Murtagh nearly laughed; so much for not looking bad on the Christmas photos. He allowed himself to fall back a bit, crouching slightly as he bent his right knee and allowed his other leg to shoot out and strike Thorn in his abdomen. Thorn groaned and fell back a step.

Murtagh knew he was getting a lot more hits than he was giving, but it didn't matter. He felt alive and he could practically feel their relationship mending for every hit that connected. He and Thorn had never been very good at talking together; they spoke better with their fists.

Murtagh tried to hit Thorn back, but the redhead managed to capture his fist instead and grinned evilly. Murtagh cursed and managed to grab onto Thorn's arm a split second before he was flipped to the floor. But thanks to Murtagh's grip, flipping him meant that Thorn found himself tumbling to the floor as well. There was a soft groan then silence.

Murtagh closed his eyes and smiled. He had slight trouble breathing, his chest was heaving and causing his wound to sting, several parts of his body were aching, but none of it mattered. He felt alive. He felt good.

"Are you alive?" Thorn drawled.

Murtagh opened his eyes and barked a laugh. He pushed himself up to a sitting position. Thorn crocked an eyebrow and crossed his arms. No more than two feet separated them, though they weren't quite sitting face to face.

"It takes more than that to kill me, you should know that."

Thorn let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah. You're like a goddamn cockroach; you think you've killed it, but damn if it isn't still alive."

"A cockroach? I'm wounded, Thorn, seriously wounded." Murtagh said with a mock-pout.

Thorn flipped him off. Murtagh laughed and started to massage his shoulder. Damn, Thorn must have nearly torn it out of place with that throw.

"Feel better, you ogre?" Murtagh asked.

Thorn smirked and got up. Murtagh allowed him to pull him to his feet properly this time.

"Much better. It's amazing how much a good ass-kicking can do for you." Thorn said and walked off the mats.

Murtagh followed at a slower pace.

"Yeah; it can dislocate your shoulder, bruise a rib, break a leg... wondrous things, truly." He drawled.

Thorn laughed heartily.

"It's good to have you back, Tag." He said and turned around.

Murtagh stopped. He smirked softly.

"It's good to be back."

Thorn padded back to stand by his side. He clasped his shoulder once before starting to walk again.

"Come on, we better go and see the coroner this time." The redhead mused. "I think you might have bruised a rib."

Murtagh snorted loudly and fell into step beside his best friend.

"Only? You have bruised at least three ribs, bruised my breastbone and nearly dislocated my shoulder. Do you see me complaining?" The darker brunet drawled.

Thorn just laughed.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(07.50 PM – Saturday 20__th__ of December. Inside the local cemetery in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon stood before his parents' graves and sighed. There was no reason he was visiting; it was not either of their birthdays and he rarely came during Christmas, but something had driven him to visit that day.

He brushed away the snow from their headstone and read their names as he stroked the lettering absently. It was something he did every time he came there, though he wasn't sure why. He crouched down and brushed snow off the winter flowers. He smiled softly before standing up.

"Merry Christmas, mom and dad. I wish you were here to celebrate it with me." The brunet murmured softly and bowed his head.

A minute later he was walking away. There were a few more people in the cemetery around the holidays, but this time someone stood out to him. Eragon frowned. The man had honey coloured hair and a slightly bulky frame. There was nothing familiar with him, but his eyes shone brilliantly grey and his face looked so familiar. He sneaked a look at the headstone and blanched. _Elain Travin_. **Travin**.

Eragon stepped forward.

"Excuse me?"

The man looked up. He brushed off his pants and turned to face Eragon.

"Can I help you?"

"This is going to sound strange but... are you Albriech Travin?" Eragon asked softly.

"Yes, that is my name." Albriech said and stood a little straighter.

"I'm Eragon! Eragon Rider. I heard you were one of my tails a few weeks ago? And I, um, sort of dated your brother back then too." The brunet said sheepishly.

Recognition set in on Albriech's face.

"Oh holy sh... I'm sorry." He laughed. "I didn't recognize you there."

Eragon grinned sheepishly and shook the other man's hand.

"I'm sorry about your loss. Your mother?"

Albriech sighed sadly.

"Yeah. It happened last year. I don't come here too often." He admitted.

Eragon nodded. He buried his hands in his pockets.

"Well, I just thought I'd say hello." The brunet said softly. "Um, how is Baldor? I haven't seen him since... well."

"You'd think he'd be more heartbroken, but I'm sorry to say he's not. Well, not anymore. Though I can see why he went after you in the first place." Albriech said and winked. "Don't worry about me though, I'm -"

"Seeing someone? Yeah, Baldor told me." Eragon interrupted.

Albriech laughed.

"Well, I'll be damned. He was actually serious with you. Whatever happened?"

Eragon bit his lip.

"I kind of already had feelings for someone else and Baldor told me to go ahead and be with him instead."

Albriech hummed softly. A hand came up to fix the scarf as it flapped awkwardly in the wind.

"That's Baldor for you." Albriech said finally. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Eragon. I hope things worked out for you and that other guy."

Eragon watched him leave with a small frown on his lips. He licked his lips and walked away.

Yeah, he kind of hoped that too.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(09.55 AM – Monday 22__nd__ of December. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh yawned as he stepped into the briefing room. He slouched down in his usual seat and let out another yawn.

"What's with all the yawning, Sleeping Beauty? Did someone wake ya a little too early?" Aksel sniggered.

"For your information, moron, I got a call at eight frigging AM that told me to get my ass over here before ten." Murtagh said dryly. "So while I object to the Sleeping Beauty comment, yes, someone woke me too early."

Aksel just grinned. Vanir shook his head and slapped the blond in the back of his head. Aksel yelped.

"Oh, you're so making up for that later." The blond pouted.

"Che, give me a break." Vanir drawled.

"Does anyone have a reason for me being here? My shift doesn't even start until three PM. _Three PM_!"

"Quit moaning." Thorn said as he stepped into the room. "You'll find out soon enough."

Murtagh rolled his eyes. Arya and Nasuada stepped in them, talking together quietly. Arya nodded and paused when her eyes met Murtagh's.

"That's a nice shiner, Tag. Who's responsible?" She asked.

"Wha?!" Aksel exclaimed and leaned over the table to stare at Murtagh's face more closely. "Holy jeez, you weren't kidding!"

Murtagh pushed him back into his seat.

"Do you have to ask?" He commented and crocked an eyebrow.

Arya returned the gesture as she sat down. Nasuada snorted and turned on the TV that Murtagh hadn't even noticed.

"That would be Thorn, Arya. You see, boys can't solve conflicts with words, they have to use their fists." Nasuada said and flipped until she reached the channel where the news was just starting.

"_This is the ten o'clock morning news. Good morning, Carvahall."_ The male reporter said almost cheerfully.

"_And what a morning it is, Jeff!"_ The female reporter countered. _"We'll soon be going live to the Carvahall Police Department, where the homicide Captain has called for a conference."_

Murtagh froze. He looked at the head of the table, where Ajihad indeed wasn't sitting. He frowned and looked back at the screen. The scene had now shifted and he recognized the room they were filming; it was their conference room. In the front of the room Ajihad was standing tall, with a few selective officers behind him; none of which Murtagh recognized.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, we have called you here today to cast light over recent events."_ Ajihad said nonchalantly. _"Just a few weeks ago there was an assassination attempt on Mr Eragon Rider, a young man you all recognize from the King trials."_

Murtagh scowled when they showed a picture of Galbatorix and Eragon. Did they really have to mention Eragon?

"_The evidence from that case has been presented to the judge and we can now inform you all that Galbatorix has been found guilty of accessory of that attempted murder. His execution date has therefore been moved up."_ Ajihad paused. _"We will come back with a date later. That is all, thank you."_

The hazel eyed man watched frozen as Ajihad walked off the stage, ignoring every question fired in his direction. Another spokesperson walked up, but he didn't give any new information, merely informed them of who they were to contact if they had any questions.

Nasuada turned off the TV with the remote. Murtagh licked his lips.

"Do we have a date on him, yet?" He asked hoarsely.

"We're pushing for just after New Years. We will know more later, but we can with certainty say that Galbatorix won't live to see the year of 2010." Nasuada said softly.

Murtagh buried his head in his hands. He let out a choked laugh.

"Finally. _Thank God_." He murmured before looking up. "Thank God!"

Nasuada smiled softly.

"He's finally getting what he deserves, Murtagh. You can breathe freely now."

Murtagh just sent her a grateful smile.

Ajihad stepped into the room then. He clasped Murtagh's shoulder as he passed before sitting down at his seat.

"Was that the only reason you called me in this morning?" Murtagh asked the Captain.

"We wanted you to hear it the moment it was sent." He replied, his eyes twinkling softly.

"Why not tell me in person?"

"Because we got the verdict last night, and we wanted to surprise you." Arya replied with a wink.

"Mission accomplished!" Murtagh laughed. "Oh holy... is this happening? I can't believe it."

"Believe it." Thorn said with a smirk. "We've worked damn hard to make this happen. The Ra'zac weren't easy to crack."

"Then why the fuck didn't you ask for my help?" Murtagh asked.

"We're not completely incompetent without you, boy." Ajihad laughed.

Murtagh laughed quietly.

"Thanks guys. Thanks a lot." He said sincerely.

"But enough about that!" The Captain exclaimed. "Big day on Wednesday. I expect you all to show up. Yes, that means you, Therr."

Vanir grumbled under his breath. Aksel jumped up and told Ajihad that he'd make sure he'd show up.

"What's happening on Wednesday?" Murtagh asked.

Thorn slapped a hand to his forehead.

"Come on, I did not hit you that hard!" The redhead moaned. "The Christmas party? The one I hope you remembered to invite Saphira and Eragon to?"

"Ah." Murtagh muttered. "No sweat, they're coming."

"Say, while we're on that subject, whatever happened that day he came to visit, huh?" Aksel asked eagerly.

"Ask Eragon." Murtagh said deadpanned and stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going home to sleep. _Alone_."

Aksel pouted. Murtagh ignored Thorn's smug look while he walked out of the room. If the bastard talked, Murtagh would make sure Thorn got twice the ass-kicking he deserved.

Murtagh sighed as he stepped out of the building. While he had said he was going home to sleep he doubted he'd be able to now. He was too awake; too filled with energy.

He shuddered while he stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets and buried his chin further into the scarf around his neck. So much seemed to be happening and it all seemed to be happening at once. First people had come after Eragon, again, and then suddenly everything had tilted and Eragon had gotten a boyfriend. That had nearly broken Murtagh, but only nearly. It was he who had encouraged Eragon to find someone else after all. But then they had broken up and Eragon and he had spent that afternoon together. Murtagh fisted his hands. And now everything seemed to be right back where they were; with him and Eragon not really speaking to each other, even though they were more civil this time.

He sighed again. It seemed like Eragon hadn't told anyone, apart from Saphira obviously, what had happened between them. A part of him wondered if Eragon wanted to forget. Another part of Murtagh hoped that Eragon didn't want to. The brunet did keep saying that he loved him; surely that meant he didn't want to forget?

Murtagh shook his head. What was he rambling about now? Eragon wanting to forget? So what?! He wasn't going to let Eragon forget. He'd be damned if he was going to let Eragon go again. Murtagh simply wasn't sure what he meant by that.

The hazel eyed man scowled. Thorn had told him that he had basically come out and said that he wanted a relationship with Eragon. Did he? Sure, he knew what he felt now, but did that change anything? Murtagh sure as hell still felt as confused as he had done before Eragon had sought him out. He sincerely believed that he wasn't right for Eragon. He had never been in a real relationship before, he was possessive, he had a bad temper, and he would most likely get himself killed one day...

Murtagh growled. He was just talking in circles! The bottom line was that everything depended on Eragon. It was Eragon that decided whether or not they would be something more. Because before Eragon could forgive Murtagh, and therefore Murtagh by default could forgive himself, there was no way anything was going to happen between them again.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(08.46 PM –Wednesday 24__th__ of December. Inside of Ajihad's house in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon stared in shock at the huge house in front of him. The Captain lived here?!

The house was the same size of a small manor. It was two stories high, had a very nice front and back yard, and Thorn had already told him about the balconies that faced the back yard. Apparently Ajihad's late wife had been a real garden person, and he still kept the large garden back there in top shape in her memory. And it was inside this house that the Captain had planned an intimate but large party.

Ever since Murtagh had told him about the party, Eragon had been very unsure about whether or not he should go. Sure, it was nice chance to see all of his friends, but Murtagh was going to be there. And while they had talked since... the incident, Eragon wasn't sure how he was to act around the Sergeant if they bumped into each other. Saphira however hadn't let him stay behind and had dragged him with her by force. Eragon suspected he was going to be the pawn in some sort of game later that night, and he really didn't want to know what that game was about.

Saphira giggled quietly and pulled him up the porch and through the door, shaking Eragon out of his thoughts. Behind them Thorn followed with an amused look on his face.

Thorn showed them where to put away their jackets and lead them into the living room. Eragon would have been captivated by that too hadn't Aksel chosen that exact time to jump him.

"ERAGON!"

Eragon squeaked quietly and pushed Aksel off him.

"Aksel! You idiot!" Eragon shrieked. "I thought I told you to stop jumping me!?"

"Well, I wasn't listening." Aksel said and shrugged nonchalantly.

Eragon felt his right eye twitch.

"Hey, while I have you guys here, thanks for the presents!" Aksel said eagerly. "I particularly liked yours, Saph."

Eragon crocked an eyebrow when Aksel practically purred the last sentence. When Saphira smirked he knew that he didn't want to know.

"Aren't you supposed to wait with opening your presents until tomorrow?" Thorn asked.

"Bah, says who? While it is indeed more common for certain countries, such as Alagaësia, to open their Christmas gifts on Christmas Morning, some countries actually open them on Christmas Eve." The male blond said and smirked softly. "I happen to like the tradition where I get to open them a day before everyone else."

Thorn rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

"Say, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Aksel said and moved in a little closer than Eragon normally liked. "Did you get Tag a present?"

"... That's what you wanted to ask?" Eragon said, feeling a little surprised and a little relieved.

"Well, sure I wanna ask you what happened that infamous afternoon ya went to see Tag, but I can wait." Aksel shrugged. "Not long though, mind you. Anyhow, so did you?"

Eragon cringed.

"Um, no."

Aksel blinked. Thorn shot him a surprised look but didn't comment.

"Well, if you just give him some lovin', I'm sure he'll see that as a present." The blond drawled.

Eragon blushed.

"Fuck you!" He growled. "And I'll have you know that he won't see that as a present because -"

"Aksel, are the others here yet?" Saphira interrupted, slapping a hand over Eragon's mouth before he could continue.

"Huh? Oh yeah, they are. And don't worry; Thorn my man, Tag has been given clear instructions to stay away from the alcohol." Aksel said and nodded. "Nas talked to him."

Thorn nodded sharply.

"I better go and see that he doesn't take up his other habit instead, then." He said quietly and gave Saphira a soft kiss before starting to walk away.

"What, he's still smoking?" Eragon asked.

Thorn paused. Eragon slapped a hand over his mouth. Oh, he had not just said that!!

"Still?" Thorn breathed as he turned around. "As in, he's done it before?"

"Um... no?" Eragon said sheepishly.

"He's dead." Thorn growled and stalked further into the room. "I'm gonna kill him fuckin' dead!"

"Oh fuck." Eragon breathed. "Why can't I just shut up, huh?"

Saphira shook her head and simply laid a hand on his shoulder.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(09.00 PM –Wednesday 24__th__ of December. Inside of Ajihad's house in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Murtagh felt more than he heard Thorn approach. He briefly wondered what he had done wrong this time.

"You fucking son of a bitch." Thorn growled once they were face to face. "You're smoking!?"

Murtagh blinked. Had someone told? But wait... he wasn't smoking! Well, not if he didn't count that one time. Murtagh narrowed his eyes.

"No, I'm not." He drawled. "Why would you think I was?"

"Eragon asked me whether or not you were, and I quote, **still** smoking." Thorn snarled.

Murtagh cursed. He was starting to doubt that Eragon really loved him, no matter what the brunet claimed.

"May I remind you that we're in a public place and Ajihad won't be happy if you punch me?" Thorn's eye twitched as Murtagh paused. "I smoked once, yes, one cigarette at Eragon's trial. Just one, I swear."

Thorn snorted.

"Why should I believe you? You left for god remembers how long?! Who knows what you did then??"

Murtagh rolled his eyes.

"I'm not smoking again. You are welcome to ransack my goddamn apartment and do random checks on me, but I swear, I'm not smoking." He said calmly.

The redhead growled.

"If you are, I swear to God, I'll kill you dead." Thorn growled darkly.

"I know." Murtagh sighed.

Thorn nodded sharply. He glared at Murtagh's fingers, to which Murtagh held out his hands to show that he didn't have a nicotine stain. He held out his other hand as well when he felt that Thorn didn't quite believe him yet.

"Satisfied?"

"Never." Thorn said darkly.

"Better not say that to Saphira; she might take it the wrong way." Murtagh said and snorted.

Thorn was silent for a minute. Then he blinked and let out a soft snort.

"Alright, so I had that coming. But -" Thorn continued.

"Thorn, I swear on my mother's grave, I'm _not_ smoking." The hazel eyed man muttered sharply.

Thorn paused. He rolled his eyes and reluctantly agreed to let go of his suspicion. Murtagh breathed out a quiet sigh of relief.

"So, did you know that Aksel opens his gifts on Christmas Eve?" Thorn said casually.

Murtagh smirked. He looked over to see the blond gesturing eagerly to Saphira and, he gulped, Eragon. His gaze lingered on Eragon for a moment before snapping back at his best friend.

"Yup. That's why you don't get him anything he might feel complied to mention in public." He drawled.

"Do you know what Saphira might have gotten him?" The redhead said with a small frown. "Aksel seemed to really have liked it."

Murtagh sniggered.

"Check out Vanir." He said instead of replying.

Thorn did so. Murtagh looked over at the blue eyed Detective as well. Vanir had been looking very displeased since he and Aksel had arrived. And, as he shifted in his seat, he winced. Murtagh smirked eagerly when Thorn looked at him in shock.

"No."

Murtagh's smirk widened.

"But, but!" Thorn muttered.

"Thorn, she has a gay best friend. I think she knows what to give to other gays then, especially stuff they'll thank her for." Murtagh said dryly.

Thorn shuddered.

"I do not want to know." He paused with a frown. "Though, it makes you wonder what she might have gotten Eragon."

Murtagh coughed awkwardly.

"Let's talk about something else, shall we?"

"Sure. Say, have you bought Eragon anything?"

Murtagh frowned at Thorn's question.

"No, not really. Why?" He asked.

"Maybe you should. To let him know it wasn't just a one-night stand." Thorn paused. "A one-afternoon stand, I mean."

Murtagh shook his head.

"You know what? Whatever. I've already apologised and said I love him, what else is there to give?" He asked in a half-drawl.

Thorn shrugged.

"Maybe that's an answer you need to find out for yourself." He said and dragged him off before Murtagh could even protest.

Not that he would have protested. Murtagh was just grateful he was being pulled in the opposite direction of Eragon.

**::BLACK MIST::**

_(10.26 PM – Wednesday 24__th__ of December. Inside of Ajihad's house in Carvahall, Alagaësia.)_

Eragon stood in the balcony doorway, watching the snow fall slowly. Downstairs he could hear the buzz from the party. He had snuck away a few minutes ago, feeling a little out of place as he was prone to do.

He had seen Murtagh earlier, and since then he hadn't been able to think about anything else. Murtagh had been dressed in black slacks and a dark shirt, but no tie. He had tied back the longer parts of his hair, and the hair had practically been caressing his neck. And if that wasn't enough, Murtagh had decided to wear a thin black choker and hadn't buttoned the three first buttons on his shirt.

Eragon was sincerely wondering why every girl present wasn't on the floor drowning in their own drool. Then again, most of the girls present were either taken or gay, though Eragon had noticed the looks Murtagh had gotten nonetheless.

He sighed and leaned onto the wall, gazing softly out into the night. The moon was almost half-full, though if he were to be technical; it was half empty as it had been full a week before.

"So this is where you're hiding."

Eragon turned around. He smiled sheepishly.

"People have been asking me where you wandered off to." Saphira scolded softly.

"Ah, sorry. You know how I get in crowds."

Saphira sighed.

"Are you coming back down anytime soon? I know we aren't leaving for another two hours, but it'd be nice of you joined us downstairs." She said softly.

"I know." Eragon murmured.

"Murtagh's been looking for you, by the way." Saphira said innocently.

Eragon blinked.

"You're lying." He said bluntly.

"I'm not." Saphira said and crocked an eyebrow. "Why should I be?"

"Because we haven't spoken since..." He trailed off.

"Bull." Saphira snorted. "You have spoken on the phone."

"On the phone yes, not in person." Eragon said and crossed his arms. "It'd be weird."

"Why? Because you'd want to jump him again?" She said with a smirk.

Eragon blushed.

"I thought I told you never to mention that again." He said darkly, though he was sure the blush ruined it.

"You know I can't resist when it makes you blush so cutely!" Saphira said and winked. "All jokes aside, he has asked about you. Maybe he wants to talk?"

Eragon just shrugged. Somehow he doubted it. At least, he doubted Murtagh would want to talk about what Eragon wanted to talk about.

"Anyhow, I hope you come down soon." The blue eyed girl said and left the room as quietly as she had come.

Eragon sighed. He sank down to the floor and curled his hands around the open shirt he was wearing. Saphira had forced him to wear it, along with the t-shirt and slacks he was wearing. He thought he looked ridiculous and had told her as much. Saphira had responded by slapping him in the back of his head and dragging him out of the door.

"Rider?"

Eragon jumped. He looked up and felt his eyes widen.

"Murtagh?"

Said male smirked in answer.

"What are you doing on the floor?" He asked.

Eragon blushed.

"Just... I got tired of standing." Eragon replied and mentally slapped himself.

What sort of answer was that?! A very lame one. Murtagh apparently agreed, as he let out a soft laugh two seconds later.

To Eragon surprise, Murtagh walked over and sat down beside him; right in front of the closed balcony doors. There they sat in silence.

"Saph said that you were looking for me?" Eragon asked timidly.

"Yeah." Murtagh replied quietly. "You've been strangely absent downstairs, I felt compelled to ask."

The brunet looked down at his hands. Ah, so that was why.

"Eragon." Said young man jumped up at the sound of his name. "I haven't done a good job of trying to not ignore you again, I know. I apologise."

"No, I mean, you haven't." Eragon interrupted. "It's me who has been ignoring you! You have called me and... stuff. I didn't even do that."

Murtagh chuckled softly.

"I called to remind you of a party that Saphira had already told you of and to ask about a sock, Rider. That reminds me, did you want it back? I didn't understand a lot of your spluttering, and by the time you stopped the conversation had shifted." Murtagh smirked.

"Oh, shut up." Eragon said and glared.

Eragon was surprised to feel himself being pulled into a hug. A sideway hug, but a hug nonetheless. He stiffened for a second before wrapping his arms around Murtagh in turn. Murtagh's arm shifted slightly, pulling away from around his shoulders and his hand stroked his neck before it was gone.

"There's a faint scar there. Barely visible, but it's there." Murtagh said huskily.

Eragon raised a hand to his neck and scratched the scar.

"Yeah. The doctors did tell me it might scar a bit." He replied softly.

Murtagh's look turned sour.

"Its fine, Murtagh." Eragon said and smiled softly. "I've gotten used to it."

"There should have been nothing for you to get used to." The darker haired man said coldly.

Eragon rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault, so get over it."

Murtagh snorted.

"I'm serious!" Eragon said and narrowed his eyes.

Murtagh sighed softly and looked away, though Eragon could see he had won the battle.

"Say Rider, there have been a lot of questions being tossed around lately." Murtagh paused. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Eragon blushed. Oh God, what sorts of questions?! Saphira better not have blabbed!

"Not really, no." He replied, hoping that Murtagh would by his lie.

"Really? Because people have been asking me left and right whether I've bought you a gift or not." Murtagh said dryly.

The brunet blinked in surprise.

"Yeah?" He breathed.

What he really wanted to say was; _you too?_, but he figured it was best not to.

Murtagh just crocked an eyebrow in answer. Eragon looked down at his hands again and bit his lip.

"Well, um, I haven't bought you anything, but..." The brunet paused.

"But?"

"There was something." Eragon admitted sheepishly.

"Oh?" Murtagh smirked softly. "Care to tell me?"

"No." Eragon blurted out.

Murtagh frowned softly.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because you'll think it's stupid." Eragon said deadpanned.

"Let me be the judge of that." Murtagh said and turned to face him more properly. "Come on, you can tell me."

"... Well, I kind of... wanted to... um, ask you out."

Eragon stared firmly at his hands. He didn't dare to look up, fearing what he might see on Murtagh's face.

"Rider, look up for a sec." Murtagh said calmly.

Eragon looked up shyly. He instantly found himself being pulled into a kiss. Murtagh's hands cradled his head gently while his tongue slipped past Eragon's lips. Eragon let out a soft sound and kissed back.

Murtagh pulled back and Eragon gasped. He stared up into the other's hazel eyes in dazed confusion.

"I still don't think you should be around me so much." Murtagh said huskily.

"Oh." Eragon bit his lip as he looked down, still not having processed Murtagh's words properly. "Wait, still?"

Murtagh smirked.

"My gift to you; one chance. But if you decide after that date that it's not worth it, I won't blame you."

Eragon blinked owlishly.

"Seriously?" He asked quietly.

"Yup." Murtagh chuckled. "But just this one chance, alright?"

Eragon grinned and threw his arms eagerly around Murtagh. He hugged him tightly and smiled even wider when he felt Murtagh curl his arms around his waist.

"And what if I decide that it's worth it?" Eragon asked softly.

"We'll think about that if that's the outcome." Murtagh replied.

Eragon buried his head in Murtagh's chest. Murtagh raised a hand and softly started to run his fingers through the hairs in Eragon's nape. Eragon smiled.

There they sat together in silence. Eragon eagerly listened to the heart beating under his ear and almost had to strain his ears to hear what was said next.

"Thanks."

Eragon closed his eyes. His smile widened.

"You're welcome."

**The End**

* * *

**A/N **I hope you all enjoyed the final instalment of the _Red Haze/Black Mist_ universe. For yes, this is the last chapter. You're free to imagine what happens from here and onward, because I will not be writing a sequel or one-shot more in this universe. It wouldn't feel right. I tried, actually, but nothing came to me. I'd love to write their date, what happened afterwards, if they actually managed to make a relationship work, but...nothing came to me; absolutely nothing.

So, please, do not ask me for more, for there is nothing more I can give you.

As for what Murtagh says thanks for...well, you can speculate on that all you want. It's not that hard, but I'm not going to ruin the surprise. :wink:

But that's it. No more _BM_ :sniffles: But I have some good news. There are a few more _Obsession_ chapters on the way, as well as the story I've called_ Don't Let Go_. I'll probably post one more _Obsession_ chapter, and then I'll go ahead with _DLG_. But don't expect quick updates. Like I said in the **A/N** above, I'm going to be crazy busy from now on. Personal reasons. But I will try to update at least once a month.

That's all for now. Thank you all for staying with me through this story. I hope you all enjoyed it, and that the ending wasn't too anticlimactic for you.

**Police Speak:**

_Coroner_ – the person that does the autopsy (examines the dead people and determines how they died)

_Accessory of attempted murder_ – basically, Galbatorix has been found guilty of helping the Ra'zac plan how to try to kill Eragon.


End file.
